BUCKLE

An incomplete copper alloy single looped buckle and plate of the Medieval period, dating from c.AD 1250 - c.AD 1500.

The buckle is D shaped in plan and oval in section. The strap bar is narrowed and slightly offset, it projects slightly at the top and bottom of the strap bar. The buckle has three transverse moulded ridges which form a rest for the pin. There are also transverse grooves on the buckle at either end of the strap bar. The buckle plate is a rectangular hammered sheet of copper-alloy which is folded around the strap bar with a central rectangular slot for the copper-alloy pin. Three rivet holes remain in the buckle plate to affix the buckle plate to the belt and the remains of the rivets are present in two of the holes.

In total the object measures 33.14mm in length and is 24.6mm wide. It has a maximum thickness of 5.21mm. It weighs 5.2g.

The object is a mid to dark brown in colour with an uneven patina. Abrasion caused by movement whilst within the plough soil may have resulted in the loss of some of the original surface detail. Similar examples of this type of artefact have been recorded in Whitehead (1996), page 19, No 51, 57, 59, and 62. Similar examples have also been recorded on the database including, KENT-B3D4F8, WMID-C79FB4 and WMID-FDEFFB.

Reference:
Whitehead, R (1996) Buckles 1250 - 1800. Witham, Greenlight Publishing.