WILT-2E3C2D: Unidentified Early Medieval object

Rights Holder: Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum
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UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT

Unique ID: WILT-2E3C2D

Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow status: Awaiting validation

An unidentified, incomplete copper alloy object of Early Medieval or Medieval date, probably dating to c. AD 750-1100. The object consists of a bar of copper alloy, plano-convex in cross-section and curving in profile, truncated at one end by an old break. The other end flares outwards in plan, forming a trapezoidal terminal. The juncture between the bar and terminal is moulded into a stylised three-dimentional representation of a zoomorphic head; with rounded sub-triangular ears, transverse ridges depicting eyes and a central longitudinal ridge along the snout - the trapezoidal terminal appearing to project from the animal's jaws.

Dimensions: Length 54.1mm; width 13.7mm; thickness 11.0mm; weight 24.15g.

This object forms part of a growing body of artefacts thought to date to the later Early medieval period on stylistic grounds, although their function, or a complete example, is yet to be identified. cf. LVPL-88DCD6, BERK-5B5B94, SWYOR-B436F5, HESH-A5C584, ESS-6D4527, NMS-7F8CD6, SF-A3F064, LEIC-2C7619. The most complete example listed here, NMS-7F8CD6, appears to bifurcate at the end opposite the terminal, precluding its use as a bracelet or bangle as has been suggested elsewhere.

Subsequent actions

Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder

Chronology

Broad period: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Subperiod from: Late
Period from: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Period to: MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 750
Date to: Circa AD 1100

Dimensions and weight

Quantity: 1
Length: 54.1 mm
Width: 13.7 mm
Thickness: 11 mm
Weight: 24.15 g

Personal details

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Other reference numbers

Other reference: SSWM 5409

Materials and construction

Primary material: Copper alloy
Completeness: Incomplete

Spatial metadata

Region: South West (European Region)
County or Unitary authority: Wiltshire (Unitary Authority)
District: Wiltshire (Unitary Authority)
Parish or ward: Chirton (Civil Parish)

Spatial coordinates

4 Figure: SU0656
Four figure Latitude: 51.30309103
Four figure longitude: -1.91531839
1:25K map: SU0656
1:10K map: SU05NE
Grid reference source: From finder
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 10 metre square.

Discovery metadata

Method of discovery: Metal detector
General landuse: Cultivated land

References cited

No references cited so far.

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Timeline of associated dates

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Audit data

Recording Institution: WILT
Created: 5 years ago
Updated: 5 years ago

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