STIRRUP

An Early Medieval to early Medieval copper alloy openwork stirrup strap mount, probably dating to c. AD 1000-1100. Although now highly abraded and corroded, the plate of the mount is sub-square in plan, being c. 34.7mm long and 34.8mm wide. The top edge of the plate is indented on either side, creating a slightly protruding knop in each corner, connected by a shallowly convex line between. The base of the mount is angled backwards into an angled flange, expanding a further c. 6.7mm following a fairly indistinct break in angle. The flange has two circular perforations, both retaining a highly corroded iron rivet. The two protruding knops on the to edge of the plate also have circular perforations, although neither retains a rivet traces of iron corrosion within one would suggest their original presence.

In thickness the mount is broadly flat but uneven, c. 3.2mm thick at the edges, and expanding into a central zoomorphic boss, 4.8mm thick. The boss is hollow on the reverse, resulting in this face being concave. The central boss is fairly crude, being broadly prirform in shape, four hemispherical depressions arranged into a square probably depicted the eyes and ears of an en-face animal mask, with the head tapering into a pointed chin. The chin itself is recessed below the rest of the boss, though it still stands in relief of the plate behind.

The boss is surrounded by 9 cast openwork elements, arranged symetrically along the longitudinal median line. A larger oval openwork positioned centrally above the head, and with two further flanking. Three further smaller openwork elements are arranged into a triangle in either corner below the head. The only other surviving decoration on the mount are a set of three, slightly flanged transverse lines cast in relief and positioned centrally on each side of the mount. The positioning of the openwork elements and the upper rivet holes in particular make it unlikely that there were originally incised flanking beasts.

There is a siginificant amount of iron corrosion affixed to the reverse.

Overall dimensions: length 39.2mm; width 34.8mm; thickness 4.8mm; weight: 22.61g.

A close parallel for this mount can be seen illustrated by Williams (1997: 92, no 436), which he classifies as his Class B, Type 3, Group 4; see also examples of Class B, Type 3, Group 8, which might be cruder versions of the same sort of decoration.