Rights Holder: Suffolk County Council Archaeology Service
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Unique ID: SF-940713
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Published
An incomplete strap-end of Thomas's Class E, Type 1, made from copper-alloy, now worn. It is roughly rectangular in shape, wider at one end and with all corners rounded. It measures 37.6mm in length and 25.4mm in width.
The front is decorated with a cast relief design in Winchester style. This consists of a central longitudinal stem with tree-like branches projecting from either side of it. Standing on the branches at the tapering terminal end of this mount are what may be birds or lizards; they have long tails and necks, which curve backwards so that their heads are facing each other and their opposing open jaws touching the central longitudinal stem. At the base of the stem there are two more opposing possibly zoomorphic designs, these are U-shaped with rounded terminals but what they are meant to represent is not clear.
The back is not decorated but has a slight depression at its wider end. This is probably the remains of the strap attachment, with a rivet hole in either corner having broken away. The object dates to the 10th or 11th centuries.
Class: Thomas Class E, Type 1
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Broad period: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Subperiod from: Late
Period from: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 900
Date to: Circa AD 1100
Quantity: 1
Length: 37.6 mm
Width: 25.4 mm
Weight: 16.47 g
Date(s) of discovery: Sunday 1st August 2004
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Grid reference source: From a paper map
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 10 metre square.
No references cited so far.