STRAP END

An almost complete cast lead-alloy strap end dating to the late Early Medieval period, c. 900-1100, belonging to Thomas' (2000) class E, type 1ai; 'Tongue shaped strap ends decorated in the Winchester style, demonstrating inhabited foliate designs with the decoration oriented so that the tongue is lowermost'. As stated, the strap-end is tongue-shaped in plan view and plano-convex in section, its upper surface demonstrating raised zoomorphic decoration. It consists of two conjoined elements: a thinned upper section demonstrating two adjacent circular apertures-the lower section of this demarcated by a raised transverse moulding, followed by the main body of the strap end. Only the separate plate that would have been riveted to the upper section of the strap end in order to secure an internal strap is missing, though the strap end has been deliberately folded over on itself in an act of deliberate (?) destruction. The decoration covering the main body of the strap end consists two pairs of animals set either side of a central tree or plant motif. The upper pair are somewhat leonine in appearance, with curled tails and large pelleted heads. Below these are set a pair of long-tailed birds who stand angled on the sides of the strap-end, their tails prominently pelleted. Preserved in relatively good condition with an even off-white patina, it measures (in folded state) 24.26mm in length, a maximum of 21.16mm wide, c. 8.14mm thick at its midpoint and weighs 23.69g. If it were unfolded, the strap-end is estimated to have a total length of c. 48mm.

A number of lead-alloy Early Medieval strap ends are known to exist, probably reflecting cheaper alternatives to their better-made copper-alloy or silver cousins. Most of these models are later Early Medieval examples, but the tradition appears to go back to the Middle Saxon period as there are Trewhiddle-style pieces known.