DRESS HOOK

A cast copper alloy artefact possibly a large Early Medieval shroud hook of 8th-9th century AD date. The object is comprised of a central 41mm long elongated barrel-shaped body, the faces of which are slightly facetted giving it an almost oval hexagonal cross-section. Either side of the central body the cross-section changes abruptly to circular and forms approximately 25mm long tapering points. Both points have a slightly arched deflection that follows the curve of the centre section. Each of the points are rounded and blunt and allowing for erosion in the ground it is not clear if these are old breaks or normal termination. The possible identity proffered relies on these being breaks where the terminal hooks have not survived, hence its tentative nature. If the object is positioned with the points deflecting downwards the centre of the barrel section is pierced by a 4.5mm diameter full thickness circular hole, the axis of which goes away from the viewer. The artefact clearly has some age and has a lustrous dark brown patina. These objects are found in Merovingian and French graves, however although commonly referred to as shroud hooks, they are not found in English graves, and the usage here may have been different. It is believed that such objects might have been used as harbicks (havettes, shear-board hooks or tenter hooks) which are hooks used to fix and stretch cloth during the shearing of the nap. See discussion in Hinton Hamwic 1996, 47-8. Examples from Norfolk include those from Cantley (Norfolk Historic Environment Record number 51311), Norwich (Norwich Households no. 79) and Roudham (PAS SF-E1B756).