HARNESS FITTING

An incomplete Early Early-Medieval (Anglo Saxon, c.6th century) copper alloy gilt probable harness fitting with Salin's Style I decoration. There is an old break at one end.
The object is rectangular in shape and cross-section, and curving in profile (being concave to the reverse). It is uncertain whether the curved profile is caused by, or only enhanced by, a transverse bend (apparent in strains to the metal on both the front and the reverse). Along one of the long edges, close to the break, is a rectangular perforated projection.
The decoration is divided into two panels, roughly one third and two thirds of the object's length respectively, on the convex face of the fitting. The smaller panel itself seems to be missing about one third of its length, perhaps applique decoration, which would have flanked the original short edge of the object. This area has a worn, bumpy surface and no trace of gilding (which is apparent all over most of the rest of the upper face of the object). In addition it has a dark grey substance on the surface, perhaps solder. The rest of the panel is occupied with chip-carved decoration in the form of prominent m-shaped eyebrows above bulbous circular eyes, a triangular nose below and between with a square-ish cheek to either side. Thick gilding survives particularly well away from the higher relief.
The larger (also chip-carved-decorated) panel is bound with a rim on its three surviving edges and within this are another two panels, one occupying two thirds and the second one third of the panel. The larger of these smaller panels is rectangular in shape with a thin rim defining the edge. Within in a group of five transverse ribs, the endmost three of which comprise a head, beak and eye. Beyond are four longitudinal ribs with overlapping V-shaped ribs in each corner, presumably limbs. Thick gilding is intact over this area. The second panel beyond consists of a solid raised rectangle within an extension of the thin raised rib around the previous panel. Thick gilding survives around the base and sides of the rectangle and at the centre of its top, missing at the edges. The object is broken just beyond the line of the thin raised rib, the surface rough but worn.
To the reverse of the object an integral rivet extends c.4mm from either short end. At the unbroken end, the rivet is rectangular in cross-section (4.1x3.4mm) narrowing to a rounded but broken tip 2.6mm in diameter; it is 6mm tall. The second rivet measures 3.0x3.8mm at the oval base and rises 3.2mm to a rounded but broken tip 2.2mm in diameter. Both breaks show a purplish/orangey-brown metal beneath suggesting the break is more recent than that across the body of the fitting.
The loop extends roughly between the two smaller panels within the large panel, and is turned through 90 degrees from the body of the fitting. It is sub-rectangular in shape with rounded corners and angled slightly forwards (6.9x6.0x3.1mm). It has a central circular perforation 2.5mm in diameter.
Alex Bliss and Jo Ahmet comment that, apart from the projecting loop, the object is very similar to Fern, C. 2005; The archaeological evidence for equestrianism in early Anglo-Saxon England, c.450-700, in BAR International Series 1410, p. 59 fig. 5.14 no. 4.