SPANGLE

An incomplete Early-Medieval (500-700) copper alloy probable spangle, with a section missing towards one end (old damage). It is apparently flame-shaped, a pointed oval with a fore-shortened, horizontal end; it is this end that is largely missing, although one corner survives.
The front of the object has a pale blue-green patina, smooth to touch and with a line of alternating crescent-shaped punches (creating an elongated S-shape) flanking the long edges. Just before the pointed tip these stop and a line of V-shaped punches with a line of crescents to eother side (the curves being outermost) runs from the tip to the old break.
The reverse of the object is rough to touch from a concretion on the surface and has traces of possible solder, grey in colour.
The object measures 41.6mm in length, 27.5mm in max.width, 0.6mm in max.thickness and weighs 2.77g.
Sheet-metal pendants were applied to a variety of objects. Meaney (1981, pp.198-90) comments on their occurrence on necklaces or festoons of beads; she suggests that they may have been worn as ornaments in the hair and that their diverting appearance and sound may have served to deflect the malevolent posers of the Evil Eye. Some, she further suggests, may have ornamented amulet bags. The example from Cassington, grave 2 (48.1), it may be noted, was found with beads of amber and crystal which are ascribed similar apotropaic qualities' (MacGregor and Bolick 1993, 244).
Similarly shaped spangles on this database are NMS-990837 and SF-1CBE58.