Rights Holder: Durham County Council
CC License:
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Unique ID: DUR-EF8C29
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation
A copper alloy probable fob or mount of Late Iron Age to Early Roman date (200 BC-AD 200). The fob is formed of four interconnected and spiralling arms that curve round to lay on the inner curve of the adjacent arm, resulting in teardrop-shaped openwork elements within each spiralled arm. The centre of the object has a circular cell, now empty, which would have held enamel. Each arm has a projecting circular knop at the terminal which have integral curvilinear lines which give the knops the form of a highly stylised flower. The reverse of the object has a small, projecting, broken spur which would have formed a suspension loop.
The metal is a dark brown in colour with a smooth patina.
Fobs or danglers remain a poorly understood artefact type, and may have been hung from items of equipment, personal apparel or harness decoration (Jope 2000:285).
Similar examples can be seen on the Portable Antiquities Database: SUR-8328CA, GLO-00B794 and NMGW-6368D1
Width: 29.60mm, Height: 28.90mm, Thickness: 6.79mm, Weight: 9.7g.
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Broad period: IRON AGE
Subperiod from: Late
Period from: IRON AGE
Subperiod to: Early
Period to: ROMAN
Date from: Circa 200 BC
Date to: Circa AD 200
Quantity: 1
Height: 28.9 mm
Width: 29.6 mm
Thickness: 6.79 mm
Weight: 9.7 g
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Primary material: Copper alloy
Manufacture method: Cast
Decoration style: Curvilinear
Completeness: Incomplete
4 Figure: TF3066
Four figure Latitude: 53.17523634
Four figure longitude: -0.05641726
1:25K map: TF3066
1:10K map: TF36NW
Grid reference source: From finder
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 1 metre square.
No references cited so far.