Rights Holder: Suffolk County Council
CC License: 
Image use policy
Our images can be used under a CC BY attribution licence (unless stated otherwise).
HARNESS PENDANT
Unique ID: SF-4BE2F1
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation 
An incomplete and worn harness pendant of medieval date. It has a quatrefoil shaped plate with small triangular projections in each angle of the foil, missing any suspension loop due to old breaks. The front face has enamelled decoration. This comprises a central square panel of blue enamel with a central (gilded?) lion passant left. From each side of the central square a fleur-de-lis extends in to each lobe of the foil and is surrounded by red enamel, the small triangular projections between the fold containing blue enamel. This object measures 32.78mm in length, 30.89mm in width, 3.24mm in thickness, and 8.00g in weight.
This is a harness pendant of medieval date. The enamelled motifs on the front face are probably allusive to the arms of England and France, with parallels noted on quatrefoil shaped pendants from Norfolk (Ashley, 2002: nos. 208-213). These suggest a probable 14th century AD date for the pendant, and perhaps post-1340 when the fleur-de-lis of France was quartered with the lions of England (Ashley, 2002: p. 23).
Notes:
Arms: England and France (allusive)
Class: heraldic
Subsequent actions
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Chronology
Broad period: MEDIEVAL
Period from: MEDIEVAL
Period to: MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 1340
Date to: Circa AD 1400
Dimensions and weight
Quantity: 1
Length: 32.78 mm
Width: 30.89 mm
Thickness: 3.24 mm
Weight: 8 g
Discovery dates
Date(s) of discovery: Thursday 1st January 2015
Personal details
This information is restricted for your access level.
Materials and construction
Primary material: Copper alloy
Manufacture method: Cast
Completeness: Incomplete
Surface Treatment: Inlaid with enamel
References cited
No references cited so far.
Similar objects
Find number: NMS-221335
Object type: HARNESS PENDANT
Broadperiod: MEDIEVAL
Medieval copper alloy horse harness pendant, elaborate quatrefoil, tiny fragment of gilding and red and blue enamel survive. Blazon: Gules a …
Workflow: Awaiting validation
Find number: SF-E66AE9
Object type: HARNESS PENDANT
Broadperiod: MEDIEVAL
A worn cast copper-alloy harness pendant and pendant hanger of Medieval date. The suspension lug has a hemispherical body with large, integra…
Workflow: Awaiting validation
Find number: WMID-2A7697
Object type: HARNESS MOUNT
Broadperiod: MEDIEVAL
A complete copper alloy enamelled heraldic horse harness stud, of medieval dating (AD 1200 to AD 1400).
The harness stud is an elaborate…
Workflow: Awaiting validation
Timeline of associated dates
About Us
About our Site
Find us
The British Museum, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG.
T: +44(0) 20 73238618