Rights Holder: The Portable Antiquities Scheme
CC License:
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Unique ID: PAS-5E7919
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation
An early-medieval copper-alloy strap-end, tentatively classified as Thomas's (2003, 4) Class A, Type 4 (with enamel). This would date the artefact to around the 9th century.
The strap-end is of unusual form and construction, and therefore of note. It has curvilinear sides with their widest point around the centre of the main plate. It terminates in a devolved animal head decorated simply with a transverse ridge at the plate end. The plate is formed of conjoined cells of elongated scrolled C shape. There are two larger such cells that abut back-to-back at the terminal, above which two smaller cells whose bases abut the larger cells and which are connected back-to-back themselves. Because the tops of the larger cells diverge the a gap is formed between these and the other cells of asymmetrical lozenge form with incurving sides. It appears that all of these cells might have been inlaid with enamel using thechamplevé process. Probable enamel, now decayed to a light-green colour, may have originally been red. The central cell has been perforated, probably in antiquity. At the attachment end a small, delicate loop emerges from the now smaller cells; this has now abraded through.
Unusually this plate is not split in the usual way. Rather, it has a separate sheet back-plate that traces the form of the strap-end, almost all of the way down to the end of the terminal. This too has been abraded through at the rivet hole. It has been splayed out in an irregular fashion due to old damage.
The metal is of a red-brown colour though largely covered in light-green corrosion product. There is seemingly a small speck of possible tinning on the front.
The object measures 27.8mm by 15.0mm by 2.5mm and weighs 3.13g.
This is a find of note and has been designated: County / local importance
Class: Thomas Class A, Type 4 (possibly)
Subsequent action after recording: Finder applying for an export licence
Broad period: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Subperiod from: Middle
Period from: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Subperiod to: Late
Period to: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Ascribed Culture:
Anglo-Saxon style
Date from: Circa AD 775
Date to: Circa AD 925
Quantity: 1
Length: 27.8 mm
Width: 15 mm
Thickness: 2.5 mm
Weight: 3.13 g
Date(s) of discovery: Monday 31st March 2014 - Monday 31st March 2014
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Other reference: Weekend Wanderers USA Tour March-April 2014
Primary material: Copper alloy
Completeness: Complete
Surface Treatment: Inlaid with enamel
4 Figure: SU4090
Four figure Latitude: 51.60742082
Four figure longitude: -1.4237887
1:25K map: SU4090
1:10K map: SU49SW
Grid reference source: From a paper map
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 100 metre square.
Author | Publication Year | Title | Publication Place | Publisher | Pages | Reference | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Thomas, G. | 2004 | Late Anglo-Saxon and Viking-Age Strap-Ends 750-1100: Part 2 | Lincolnshire | Finds Research Group AD 700-1700. | 4 |