STRAP FITTING

A copper alloy bolt piece from a swivel strap-fitting of medieval date. It is formed of a D-shaped loop with stylised moulded animal heads at the corners. The heads have two small, pointed ears on each angle. Down the sides is a prominent brow ridge, with a slightly flared snout below. Emerging from the mouths of the animals is a cross-bar or strap-bar which is oval in cross-section. The base of the loop expands downwards forming a transverse collar from which projects a skirted terminal decorated with a series of vertical grooves. Projecting from the base of the skirted terminal is a rounded projection. This would have attached to the opposite half of the swivel giving each element the ability to turn or swivel.

Swivel mechanisms such as this were employed for a variety of functions during the medieval period as strap-fittings and as such a specific function cannot be attributed to them. They are more often found singly rather than complete (although see for example SF-235495 on this database for a complete example). The stylised (Romanesque) animal heads are typical of this class of object, and the entire appearance and manufacture of the object indicates a date range in the 12th-15th centuries AD for the current example (Geake 2001, 72) given the longevity of the style. At least 25 examples with stylised animal head ornament have been found in Norfolk (Ashley 2006, 105). A similar example which can be found on the database is Webley, R (2012) HAMP-7CBE76: A MEDIEVAL STRAP FITTING Web page available at: https://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/record/id/485423.

Dimensions: 24.41mm in length, 15.83mm in width, 9.26mm thick, 9.2g.