SCABBARD

A complete, cast gilded silver pyramidal mount. The mount is in the form of a truncated, four-sided pyramid with a flat, square top. Each face is decorated with an inverted U-shape motif, the terminals of which curl back upon themselves to form an omega shape. The motif is in shallow relief and set within a recessed panel. The mount is hollow with a square base. An integral bar runs centrally across the underside of the mount, the bar being circular in section and flaring slightly at each end. Traces of gilding are retained in the recessed areas; otherwise, the mount is dark-grey in colour. Approximately half of the bottom of one face is missing due to damage sustained in antiquity.

Pyramidal mounts are well known in Anglo-Saxon and Continental archaeological contexts (Menghin pp. 363ff; Hines and Bayliss 2013, Type SW5-b, p. 186). Their function is still uncertain, but it seems likely that they were used to help secure the sword in the scabbard, by means of a strap running through the transverse bar on the base. Two were famously found in the high-status graves of Sutton Hoo Mound 1, but they are relatively uncommon grave finds. They are, however, familiar as stray finds with ever-increasing numbers recorded on the PAS database. Close parallels decorated with the inverted U-shaped motif are recorded from West Lindsey, Lincolnshire (LIN-05D862 / 2013 T838); Drax, North Yorkshire, topped with a garnet (SWYOR-F22FB2 / 2010 T628); and Newbold Pacey, Warwickshire (WAW-7A89A7 / 2013 T338).

Date:

Mid sixth to early seventh century

Conclusion:

In terms of age and as the object contains a minimum of 10% precious metal, it qualifies as Treasure under the stipulations of the Treasure Act 1996.

References:

Hines, J. and Bayliss, A., 2013. Anglo-Saxon Graves and Grave Goods of the 6th and 7th Centuries AD: A Chronological Framework. London: The Society for Medieval Archaeology. The Society for Early Medieval Archaeology Monograph 33

Menghin, W., 1983. Das Schwert im frühen Mittelalter: Chronologisch-typologische Untersuchungen zu Langschwertern aus germanischen Gräbern des 5. bis 7. Jahrhunderts n. Chr. Stuttgart: Wissenschaftliche Beibände zum Anzeiger des Germanischen Nationalmuseums