Rights Holder: Oxfordshire County Council
CC License:
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Unique ID: BERK-827350
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation
A complete copper alloy mount of probable early Medieval date. The mount is broadly rectangular in plan with splayed edges towards the base, which has smooth curved serrations along the bottom edge. The surface of the mount has an incised design of which the centrepiece is the head of a wolf-like animal. The wolf head is flanked by other linear designs but they are hard to distinguish; they may be intended to represent wings. Beneath the wolf head is what may be the body or legs of the animal, which in turn is standing on a domed feature with linear marking possibly intended to be eyebrows and the bridge of the nose. The wolf-head feature may be a type of helmet which rests on a humanoid head. Most of the incised decoration retains gilding. The reverse of the mount is plain and undecorated but has the remains of two copper alloy rivets; there is iron staining and possibly some iron around the rivet holes, which may indicate that the copper rivets are replacements for iron ones. No direct comparison for this object could be found on the database however the style of the carving would not be out of place in Romanesque art styles (Kevin Leahy PAS National Finds Advisor, pers. comm.) and a date of c. AD 1100 - 1300 would seem appropriate. The mount does not appear to be part of a buckle plate, and it may be a belt or harness strap decoration.
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Broad period: MEDIEVAL
Period from: MEDIEVAL
Period to: MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 1100
Date to: Circa AD 1300
Quantity: 1
Height: 24.6 mm
Width: 31 mm
Thickness: 1.9 mm
Weight: 9.3 g
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Other reference: 2014.868
Primary material: Copper alloy
Manufacture method: Cast
Decoration style: Zoomorphic
Completeness: Complete
Surface Treatment: Gilded
4 Figure: SU6039
Four figure Latitude: 51.14712631
Four figure longitude: -1.14361094
1:25K map: SU6039
1:10K map: SU63NW
Grid reference source: From a paper map
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 10 metre square.
No references cited so far.