MOUNT

Copper alloy openwork mount, possibly a harness mount strap fastener of Roman date

The mount is complete (with a length of 42.7mm and a weight of 6.0g) but would be of composite form with a bar to attach to corresponding keyhole part (not present). The terminal has a protruding sub-rectangular sectioned tongue above the raised bar (with a width of 14.8mm, a length of 4.6mm and with an overall depth of 4.7mm). The upper edge of the bar is convex while the lower edge is near flat. A further strip below the bar leads to the mount (1.4mm - 1.7mm thick), decorated with an undulating edge and C-shaped edge cut-outs. At the centre is a circular aperture (7.5mm diameter) flanked by the attachment holes (2.5mm diameter) for separate rivets (now missing). The basal edge is straight, slightly thickened and wider that the rest of the mount (with a width of 17.9mm and a thickness of 1.8mm), enhanced with central incised line. The surface has remnants of a green patina over the stripped brown surface.

The mount resembles male strap fasteners of Roman military harness mounts although the style of decoration is difficult to parallel. Bar-and-keyhole strap fasteners have been dated from the mid-1st and 2nd centuries AD.