Rights Holder: The Portable Antiquities Scheme
CC License: All Rights Reserved
Our images can be used under a CC BY attribution licence (unless stated otherwise).
Unique ID: NMS-9B3764
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Published
Late Iron Age or Roman cast copper alloy sword scabbard strap fastener, comprising a ring with an external median arris and convex inner face. Projecting from the side are two short curved spurs flanking a short concave-sided neck with rounded terminal. An acorn shaped knop or button projects at right angles from the terminal. The knop is decorated with an incised cross, radial line and broad groove at junction neck. There are bordering and transverse lines on the side of the neck. Multiple oblique incised lines form a band of ten chevrons and a lozenge on either side of the spurs and central projection. Length 47mm. External diameter 30.5mm. Internal diameter 23mm. Width of band 9mm, thickness 5mm. Length of knop (excluding neck) 12.5mm. Weighs 33.40g.
This type of fastener is also known as a 'buttoned ring' or a baldric hook or ring (cf Stead 2006, 52). The interpretation as a scabbard fitting comes from warrior burials at Owlsebury, Hants and Whitcombe, Dorset. Similar strap fittings from Late Iron Age and Roman sites in Suffolk have been discussed by Faye Minter in Lucerna 28, 2004, The Roman Finds Group Newsletter, pages 12-14. Also see Worrell 2011, p 21, and ESS-1D1BC2, IOW-ADA233, SUR-1920FC, SUR-122628 and SUSS-7FD162.
This has been noted as an interesting find by the recorder.
Class: strap fastener
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Broad period: IRON AGE
Subperiod from: Late
Period from: IRON AGE
Subperiod to: Early
Period to: ROMAN
Date from: Circa 100 BC
Date to: Exactly AD 100
Quantity: 1
Length: 47 mm
Width: 9 mm
Thickness: 3 mm
Weight: 30.5 g
Date(s) of discovery: Thursday 8th March 2018 - Tuesday 4th April 2017
This information is restricted for your access level.
SMR reference number: 60869
Other reference: ENMD042018
Primary material: Copper alloy
Manufacture method: Cast
Completeness: Complete
Surface Treatment: Incised or engraved or chased
4 Figure: TG3114
Four figure Latitude: 52.67443302
Four figure longitude: 1.41544501
1:25K map: TG3114
1:10K map: TG31SW
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 10 metre square.
No references cited so far.