Rights Holder: Somerset County Council
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Unique ID: DOR-52C816
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation
A cast copper alloy harness link with zoomorphic decoration. A double-ended fitting with a centrally-placed boss. The ends are lozenge-shaped, with large oval perforations and the boss is moulded to represent a forward-facing beast's head. The bar has a D-shaped cross section. The boss and loops are hollowed at the rear. At the three external corners of each lozenge there is a rounded knop. The beast hasan upwards-pointing ear at each end of the top of its head. The face is heavily stylised with angled ridges delineating the eyes and raised chevrons for the mouth.
Date: Late Early-Medieval to Early Medieval - 11th century
Dimensions: 72.11 mm x 21.85 mm x 8.53 mm
Weight: 18.09 g
See also SOMDOR-E14156 for a similar object, although with a less stylised beast's head boss.
A similar (although incomplete) fitting from Soberton, Hampshire, can be seen in Williams' 'Anglo-Scandinavian horse harness fittings' datasheet (2007, p. 5, fig. 12).
Class: Link
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Broad period: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Subperiod from: Late
Period from: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Subperiod to: Early
Period to: MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 1000
Date to: Circa AD 1100
Quantity: 1
Length: 72.11 mm
Width: 21.83 mm
Thickness: 8.53 mm
Weight: 18.09 g
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Other reference: SCMS 017286
4 Figure: ST9917
Four figure Latitude: 50.95243085
Four figure longitude: -2.01560872
1:25K map: ST9917
1:10K map: ST91NE
Grid reference source: Centred on field
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 10 metre square.
No references cited so far.
Find number: SOMDOR-E14156
Object type: HARNESS FITTING
Broadperiod: EARLY MEDIEVAL
A cast copper alloy harness link of eleventh century AD date. The double-ended fitting with a centrally-placed boss measures 77.7mm by 22.8mm …
Workflow: Awaiting validation
Find number: BH-6A1323
Object type: HARNESS FITTING
Broadperiod: EARLY MEDIEVAL
A copper-alloy horse harness link of 11th century date. Anglo-Scandinavian horse harness fittings are discussed by Williams (2007), who illus…
Workflow: Awaiting validation
Find number: NMS-64E513
Object type: HARNESS FITTING
Broadperiod: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Incomplete Late Saxon copper alloy harness link, double-ended with centrally-placed boss, perforated sub-triangular terminals, one broken, wi…
Workflow: Awaiting validation