BUCKLE

A distorted and incomplete medieval copper-alloy buckle frame having lost its pin bar as a result of old damage. The frame is D-shaped in plan, and broadly rectangular in cross-section with rounded corners, but is angled. At both ends of the frame are animal heads that grip the stump of the broken narrowed pin-bar that is oval in cross-section. The animal heads are delineated by transverse, slightly obliquely set collars moulded in low relief. The heads are shown more at three quarters view to account for the fact that the back of the frame would not generally be seen. They are decorated on their outer sides with a pair of incised diagonal lines that mark the eyes, and thereby delineate the snout. At the centre of the outer edge is a rectangular protrusion of square cross-section with rounded tip. A central depression at the internal end would have acted as a pin rest. It has slightly curved surfaces except for the lower surface which is flat. It has transverse incisions along its sides, which echo those on the animal heads; this too may be zoomorphic.

As noted, the piece has been squashed laterally, with one end of the frame bent either in or out. The protrusion at the centre of the outer edge has also been bent to one side. The piece generally has a mid-green patina with areas of brown corrosion product at the protrusion and animal heads.

A parallel is known from Fincham, Norfolk (Ashley 2016, no. 29; NHER 25501), suggested as possibly being from a sword belt. A similar buckle frame with expanded heads at the ends of the pin bar is known from Bromholme Priory, Bacton (NHER 1073; Ashley 2006, 106; fig.1, no. 5; Ashley 2016, no. 32). See also HAMP-92CE07 on this database.