STIRRUP

An early-medieval stirrup-strap mount, dating to the 11th century, of Williams (1997) Class A, Type 4,

Description: The mount has an oval frame, trilobate apex and expanded base. The frame is decorated with a highly devolved hirsute human mask cast in relief within a raised border which runs the circumference of the oval frame. The raised frame may in fact be a pair of framing ribbon-form beasts whose tails curl into spirals which flank the apex lobe. The head ends of the two beasts would curl around the lower two rivet holes at the outside corners of the wide base. s although are so highly worn or devolved they are not clear.

Set within the oval frame is a male head with prominent domed rounded eyes and projecting cat-like ears. The nose, with modelled nostrils, is set at the lower end of a projecting strip which continues vertically above the head, bifurcates into a pair of spirals, and probably continues to the apex lobe/rivet. Below the ears is a further pair of short spirals which project from the head. Below the nose is a moustache formed from a pair of ribbons set one above the other and both ending in upwards facing spirals. Below the moustache there is a very subtle ridge (possibly indicating a mouth) before the strip which forms the nose continues downwards and mirrors the arrangement of spirals and lobe above the head.

The mount has a right-angled flange. All three rivet holes have corroded remains of the original rivets remaining in situ. The Mount is a dark grey-green colour and remains in good condition.

Measurements: 49.57mm long, 28.48mm wide, 9.97mm thick and 29.43g in weight.

Discussion: This stirrup mount fits very much within Williams (1997) Class A, Type 4, although is a slight variant as the flange is at a right angle unlike the examples illustrated. See SUR-684BD7 (the clearest example of the design recorded), NMS-A0A5ED and WILT-EB951C for other similar examples of stirrup mounts.