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FOB
Unique ID: SUR-8328CA
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation 
A late Iron Age or early Roman copper-alloy 'Fob Dangler'. The object comprises four arms spiralling from a central hub which is pierced with a round hole. On the outer edge of each spiralling arm is a seated bird, possibly intended to be a duck. Each bird has a pair of large recessed eye pits. The lower face of the object is plain. The upper face is extensively decorated with punched rings and dots and groups of pits. At the root of each arm is a group of three rings and dots arranged in a triangle. There is a further ring and dot on the centre of each arm and a fifth at each rounded terminal. The outer lengths of each arm are decorated with groups of small punched pits and positions of these vary slightly from arm to arm. The pits mainly form triangular areas which hang, in three cases, from the outer edge of each curving arm and in one case from the inner edge. In one instance the apex ring and dot in a triangle is encircled by punched pits.
The under side of each arm is slightly hollowed and a hollow encircles the central hole. On the upper face the central hole is rebated.
Notes:
Fobs or danglers remain a poorly understood artefact type, and may have been hung from items of equipment, personal apparel or harness decoration (Jope 2000, pp 285) . When complete most appear to be of Triskele form. Jope (ibid.) records 17 known examples of danglers and related 'hangers' from Britain, while Macgregor (1976a, pp 37) records nine known examples of Triskele-decorated fobs from Northern Britain. This appears to be the first recorded example with bird terminals Two examples of fobs have been recovered from excavations in Wales: a fragmentary example recovered from the hill fort of Tre'r Ceiri at Llanaelhaearn, Gwynedd and from Abergavenny, Monmouthshire (Spratling, 1968) . A similar example was recorded from St. Nicholas in the Vale of Glamorgan . Four examples were recovered from Kingsholm in Gloucestershire (Jope 2000, pp 285, No 225a-d)1. One of the Kingsholm examples was still attached to binding, appearing to be from the corner of a casket (ibid.).
- Jope E.M., 2000, Early Celtic Art in the British Isles, in Volume I, Text
- Macgregor M., 1976, Early Celtic Art in North Britain, Volume 2
- Macgregor M., 1976, Early Celtic Art in North Britain, Volume 1
Spratling, M.G., 1968, A Bronze Loop-Shanked Triskele Pendant from Flannel Street; in Excavations at Abergavenny 1962-1969; I. Prehistoric and Roman Finds; The Monmouthshire Antiquary 1968-1969, p. 196-198
This object was donated by its finder to Newbury Museum
Find of note status
This is a find of note and has been designated: Potential for inclusion in Britannia
Subsequent actions
Subsequent action after recording: Donated to a museum
Chronology
Broad period: IRON AGE
Subperiod from: Late
Period from: IRON AGE
Subperiod to: Early
Period to: ROMAN
Date from: Circa 50 BC
Date to: Exactly AD 100
Dimensions and weight
Quantity: 1
Thickness: 5.23 mm
Weight: 29.92 g
Diameter: 57.05 mm
Discovery dates
Date(s) of discovery: Sunday 1st June 2014 - Monday 30th June 2014
Personal details
This information is restricted for your access level.
Other reference numbers
Other reference: B15-505
Materials and construction
Primary material: Copper alloy
Manufacture method: Cast
Completeness: Complete
Spatial metadata
Region: South East (European Region)County or Unitary authority: West Berkshire (Unitary Authority)
District: West Berkshire (Unitary Authority)
Parish or ward: Streatley (Civil Parish)
Spatial coordinates
4 Figure: SU5980
Four figure Latitude: 51.51585059
Four figure longitude: -1.15112759
1:25K map: SU5980
1:10K map: SU58SE
Grid reference source: From finder
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 1 metre square.
References cited
No references cited so far.
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