HARNESS PENDANT

A complete copper alloy harness pendant of Early-Medieval date. The pendant is circular in plan with an integral perforated suspension loop set at ninety degrees to the pendant proper. From the outer edge of the frame, opposite the loop, two feather-like decorations extend which are ovate in plan with two ovate grooves of decreasing size within. The pendants central design is openwork featuring a naturalistic bird with its body facing left and its head turned back over its shoulder to look right. The bird joins the frame at its head, wings, tail and talons. The head is domed with long curved plumage extending from the upper portion of the neck. The neck itself is long and curved extending fluidly into an ovate body with pointed ovate wings extending to either side. The tail plumage extends from just below the right wing and bent legs and talons project from the bottom of the body. The bird and much of the frame is covered in gilding which aids in highlighting the incised lines which define the features of the bird. The reverse of the pendant is flat and undecorated.

The metal has a dark brown patina and is worn. The pendant is 51mm long, 29.8mm wide, 2.2mm thick and weighs 8.1g.

Though no direct parallel has currently been located for this pendant the style and quality of the metalwork and design suggest an Early-medieval date for this object. The closest parallel is recorded on the PAS database as SF-C66614 which sites a bird-shaped pendant as comparable in DENO-55AE35. Both are dated to the Early-Medieval period though, in the case of SF-C66614, with some cross over into the medieval period proper. See also UKDFD no. 12573