Rights Holder: National Museums Liverpool
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Unique ID: LVPL-78F55A
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Published
A cast copper alloy 'fob' or 'dangler' dating from the late Iron Age to early Roman period, (c 200BC-100AD).
The fob is pyramidal in form with a triangular frame, openwork decoration and a suspension loop. Within the centre of the frame is an integral triskele motif. In the centre of the triskele is a raised circular boss measuring 8mm in diameter and 4mm high. The boss is surrounded by a raised moulded circumferential border. At each corner of the frame is a decorative boss measuring 3mm in width. Two are incomplete due to damage from within the plough soil.
The pierced suspension loop projects integrally from the rear and measures 16.5mm in width with an internal diameter of 8mm. The short shank is oval in cross-section. The object has a glossy dark green patina with a small amount of golden bronze visible on the ridge surrounding the boss due to recent damage. The patina has broken away from one side of the suspension loop revealing mid-green corrosion beneath and pitting is visible on the sides of the frame, probably due to abrasion within the plough soil.
Triangular fob/danglers are unusual and this is the only recorded example on the PAS database within a triangular border. No exact parallel is known (at the time of writing). The object fits into the general openwork-triskele type (Palk Type IIID), but normally these are set in a circular or triple-armed arrangement. Julia Farley, Curator of European Iron Age Collections Department at the British Museum notes: The most triangular one I am aware of is from Cirencester (published as no. 525 in Palk), but that is really more similar to ones like NARC-7584E7 or GLO-00B794, where the three arms of the triskele form the sides of the triangle, rather than the whole design being set into a triangular border.
Another triangular fob without a frame is from from Owmby, Lincs (Jope 2000, pl. 225, n) and one from Croft Ambrey, Herts (ibid, Pl 225, e). LEIC-A06F61, https://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/record/id/131471 and WILT-A40537, https://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/record/id/260419 are more worn examples with sub-triangular frames.
Several fob danglers have been recorded on the PAS database which have a circular frame including WMID-A0A4EB, https://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/record/id/735972 which is more complete example. Also NMGW-6368D1, https://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/record/id/662549.
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) . Jope (ibid.) records 17 known examples of danglers and related 'hangers' from Britain, while Macgregor (1976a, pp 37) records nine know examples of Triskele-decorated fobs from Northern Britain. One recorded example (Macgregor, 1976b, pp 40) can be seen as a parallel for this piece but is without the pelta motifs and has a simple openwork triskele design, enhanced by a border of punched dots. 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 with a triskele but again, without the peltae 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
- NMWPA 2006.39.1
This is a find of note and has been designated: National importance
Class: Palk Type IIID
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Broad period: IRON AGE
Period from: IRON AGE
Period to: IRON AGE
Date from: Circa 1 BC
Date to: Circa AD 200
Quantity: 1
Length: 39 mm
Width: 42 mm
Thickness: 35 mm
Weight: 34.6 g
Date(s) of discovery: Tuesday 1st September 2015 - Wednesday 30th September 2015
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Primary material: Copper alloy
Manufacture method: Cast
Completeness: Complete
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 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jope, E.M. | 2000 | Early Celtic Art in the British Isles | Oxford | Oxford University Press | |||
McGregor, M. | 1976 | Early Celtic Art in North Britain | Leicester | Leicester University Press |