Rights Holder: The Portable Antiquities Scheme
CC License:
Our images can be used under a CC BY attribution licence (unless stated otherwise).
Unique ID: SF-6E8BFE
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation
A complete copper alloy late early-medieval Ringerike-style bird brooch. It has a moulded outer face depicting a bird seen in profile with one wing raised and a fan-shaped tail, decorated in Urnes/Ringerike style. The reverse is flat with a patch of bright green corrosion in the middle - probably solder from where the pin fitting was attached.
A very similar example, also with probable corroded solder on the reverse, has been recorded with the PAS from Norfolk NMS-556A43. Both are also close parallels for a bird brooch found at Stoke Holy Cross, Norfolk (Margeson 1997, 32, fig.35). The similarities between the objects suggests that all functioned as brooches, but that different pin fittings were employed. Similar bird brooches of 11th century date are also known in Scandinavia and it is possible that those found in Britain are of Scandinavian origin.
Length: 43.08mm, width: 27.41mm, thickness: 5.31mm, weight: 14.57g
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Broad period: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Subperiod from: Late
Period from: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Subperiod to: Late
Period to: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 1000
Date to: Circa AD 1100
Quantity: 1
Length: 43.08 mm
Width: 27.41 mm
Thickness: 5.31 mm
Weight: 14.57 g
Date(s) of discovery: Saturday 1st August 2015
This information is restricted for your access level.
Primary material: Copper alloy
Manufacture method: Cast
Completeness: Complete
Grid reference source: Generated from computer mapping software
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 1 metre square.
No references cited so far.