STRAP FITTING

An incomplete bar mount of the Medieval period, dating from c. AD 1150 - c. AD 1450.

The mount is of the bar type and consists of a domed central oval, with two projecting lugs. Only the bottom lug remains as a rectangular shaped projection, this terminates in a slight hook, which is at a right angle to the rest of the object. The top lug is missing, presumed lost in antiquity. The remains of the lug are visible as a very worn break at the top of the object. The projecting lug is rectangular in shape, and D shaped in section. What would have been the central oval is domed, it is decorated with incised horizontal grooves in the surfaces, forming shallow ridges. The dome is D shaped in section. The reverse is plain and undecorated.

The object measures 17.0 mm in length and has a maximum width of 6.9 mm at the dome and is 3.5 mm wide at the rectangular projection. It has a maximum thickness at the dome of 5.2 mm and is 1.9 mm thick at the projection. It weighs 1.5 g.

The object is a mid to dark green in colour with an uneven patina. Abrasion caused by movment whilst within the plough soil may have resulted in the loss of some of the original surface detail. Similar examples of this type of object have been recorded in Egan and Pritchard (2002) on page 214, No 1166, this example was dated to Pottery Phase 6 which gives it a date of AD 1150 - AD 1200. Another examples has also been recorded in Read (2001), page 23, No 145 which has been dated to the period AD 1150 - AD 1250. Similar examples have also been recorded on the database including WILT-063464, NLM-E6D403 and WAW-65532F. These have all been given a wider Medieval date.

Ref:

Egan, G. and Pritchard, F., (1991) Dress Accessories, c.1150-c.1450 (Medieval Finds from Excavations in London) Woodbridge, The Boydell Press.

Read, B., (2001) Metal artefacts of antiquity: A catalogue of small finds from specific areas of the United Kingdom Langport, Portcullis Publishing.