MOUNT

An incomplete copper alloy mount of probable Late Early-Medieval date (c.1000-1100), rectangular in shape and if the decoration is intended to be symmetrial, just over half of the object survives with damage to one corner and a diagonal break to the edge opposite. All damage is old. An iron rivet (2.5mm diameter) survives in situ in the surviving corner.
The three surviving edges of the mount are flanked by a groove, apparently a straight line but particularly at the short end, rather more zig-zag in appearance. Just inside the diagonal break is a circular indentation 5.3mm in diameter. This does not pierce through to the reverse of the object and was perhaps originally the centre of the undamaged object. Around the circular indentation is grooved circle and from this four pairs (of perhaps six pairs) of straight lines extend, to give four arms. Two arms extend to the grooves flanking the long edges of the object (one arm to either side), while the other two arms extend to a curving groove which encloses a further slightly smaller circular indentation (3.8mm and 4.0mm) within the corner of the grooved edge-decoration. Two or three transverse grooves join the curves.
The reverse of the object is undecorated but has a bumpy surface, mostly green in colour. Faint outlines of the circular indentation to the front are visible. The front of the mount has patches of green corrosion but is otherwise a browny-purple in colour.
The object measures 31.6mm in length, 26.1mm in max.width, 1.9mm in thickness and weighs 6.37g.
The decoration is reminiscent of that on some Late Early-Medieval stirrup strap mounts. However this object is rather thin and lacks an attachment flange.