Record ID: NMS-4A0605
Object type: SCABBARD
Broad period: EARLY MEDIEVAL
County: Kent
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
Gilded silver pyramidal mount from a sword-scabbard, probably found around 1970. It is small and low, measuring only 11.4mm square at the base and 5.9mm tall. Part of one wall, and most of the bar on the underside, are missing, with unworn granular breaks; it weighs 1.98g. The pyramid has an empty setting on the top and relief-decorated faces with gilding and possible niello decoration; it dates to the very late 6th century or early 7th century, perhaps c. 580-640 AD. The four faces each have a sunken trapezoidal panel with gilding and relief decoration. bear two design…
Created on: Wednesday 15th November 2023
Last updated: Wednesday 15th November 2023
No spatial data available.

Record ID: NMS-8F5338
Object type: SCABBARD
Broad period: MEDIEVAL
County: Norfolk
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
Small copper-alloy chape from a dagger sheath or sword scabbard, made from sheet rolled into a cone and the seam (up the reverse) soldered. The narrower end has been cut into triangular points or notches which have been bent in to close the end. The wider end has decoration on the front, of a horizontal groove a few millimetres from the top, with vertical closely spaced grooves above this forming a ribbed edge. Some of this decoration has broken away along the horizontal groove. The reverse is undecorated. There is a single small rivet hole on the reverse, on the side opposit…
Created on: Thursday 2nd December 2021
Last updated: Thursday 28th July 2022
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: NMS-81FAC8
Object type: SCABBARD
Broad period: EARLY MEDIEVAL
County: Norfolk
Workflow stage: Published
Description: Gold sword pyramid, square-based and low in height. Each of the four sides is inlaid with three cloisonné garnets in two designs, matching on opposing sides. Design 1 has a T-shaped cell at the top which is probably best described as a truncated triangle with a stepped-out base, like an arrow or Christmas tree shape. This is above two symmetrical garnets divided by a vertical cell wall, both garnets therefore L-shaped. The other, Design 2, is more unusual, with the lower left-hand garnet having a stepped boundary with the other two, whi…
Created on: Thursday 15th April 2021
Last updated: Wednesday 10th May 2023
Spatial data recorded. This findspot is known as 'South Norfolk', grid reference and parish protected.

Record ID: NMS-6D8084
Object type: SCABBARD
Broad period: EARLY MEDIEVAL
County: Norfolk
Workflow stage: Published
Description: Silver and garnet-inlaid pyramidal mount from a sword-scabbard. It has four main faces, each drop-shaped, with a curved base tapering to a truncated point. Each of the faces has identical cloisonné decoration consisting of a central mushroom-shaped cell surrounded by four other garnets. There is a vertical cell wall running from the central mushroom above and below, and a zig-zag cell wall to either side continuing the stepped shape of the mushroom. Most of the garnets in the main faces survive, but on each face one or more have been lost. The sq…
Created on: Thursday 7th January 2021
Last updated: Wednesday 22nd March 2023
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: NMS-801E78
Object type: SCABBARD
Broad period: EARLY MEDIEVAL
County: Norfolk
Workflow stage: Published
Description: Gilded silver object, probably an edge binding from an early Anglo-Saxon scabbard. It consists of a piece of silver sheet curled into an open tube, a shallow U-shape in cross-section. Both ends are broken; the breaks are not particularly worn. Both long edges are straight and there is no reason to think that they are not original. In the centre of each straight edge is a small circular attachment hole c. 1.5mm in diameter; these holes line up neatly with each other. One is empty and the other blocked with a hard grey-white unidentified material. From one side of the holes…
Created on: Monday 3rd August 2020
Last updated: Monday 24th April 2023
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: NMS-67C498
Object type: SCABBARD
Broad period: MEDIEVAL
County: Norfolk
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
Incomplete medieval copper-alloy scabbard chape, originally with two similar halves which meet at a fold. It was probably cast in this shape, as the metal at the fold is c. 3mm thick, compared to about 1.8mm thick elsewhere. The best-surviving half is trapezoidal, flaring from 17.3mm wide at the fold to a maximum of 20.1mm at the broken top. Both faces have a ridge up either side, and this face is decorated with horizontal ridges within this border. There is a U-shaped cut-out in the upper edge. The other face is less complete, but there are traces of a diagonal groove across fr…
Created on: Monday 9th March 2020
Last updated: Wednesday 16th June 2021
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: NMS-AB2265
Object type: SCABBARD
Broad period: MEDIEVAL
County: Norfolk
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
Incomplete medieval scabbard chape. It is made from a single piece of copper alloy folded in half; each half is identical, or nearly so. The fold is 13mm wide and the chape then flares out to 22mm wide. Here there is a straight edge across, forming a trapezoidal shape, with one half having a circular cut-out close to this edge with decorative notches to either side, and the other half having a similar cut-out but this time breaking the edge. The line of the flaring sides then continues up on one side to form a pair of arms; the complete one has a rounded end, pierced but the hole now b…
Created on: Monday 17th February 2020
Last updated: Sunday 10th September 2023
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: SF8876
Object type: SCABBARD
Broad period: MEDIEVAL
County: Suffolk
Workflow stage: Published
Copper-alloy scabbard chape, made from a single piece of thick copper-alloy sheet folded in half. The base is trapezoidal, narrowing to 15 mm wide at the bottom, and both halves have a decoratively shaped top with a central V-shaped notch. At each of the four corners an extended arm originally projected, but three of these are now missing. The surviving arm ends in a lozengiform terminal pierced to take a separate copper-alloy rivet; it extends the length of the chape to 37 mm. The front of the trapezoidal base is decorated with a central vertical groove running down from the notch…
Created on: Monday 1st July 2002
Last updated: Thursday 24th February 2011
Spatial data recorded. This findspot is known as 'FRECKENHAM', grid reference and parish protected.

Record ID: SF8497
Object type: SCABBARD
Broad period: POST MEDIEVAL
County: Suffolk
Workflow stage: Published
Scabbard chape made from cast copper alloy, originally with a sheet copper-alloy backplate. The upper edge is now a little bent and broken, but was originally cut into an elaborate decorative shape. It is 28 mm wide; the chape then tapers to 25.5 mm wide and there is a heart-shaped cut-out in the centre. The lower part of the chape flares out again to a transversely set oval lobe 30 mm wide. This is decorated with grooves radiating from the base of the heart; some of the grooves have iron staining. There is a knop projecting from the bottom of the chape. The sides of the chape cur…
Created on: Wednesday 1st May 2002
Last updated: Thursday 24th February 2011
Spatial data recorded. This findspot is known as 'SUFFOLK WICKHAM SKEITH', grid reference and parish protected.

Record ID: SF7624
Object type: SCABBARD
Broad period: MEDIEVAL
County: Suffolk
Workflow stage: Published
Chape, probably from a sword-scabbard, made from copper-alloy sheet. At the apex is a globular knob, and from this the sheet-metal sides rise to form a flat triangle. It is not clear what the original cross-section may have been (probably oval) and the flattening has caused a split up one side. 16 mm from the top is a decorative groove. There is just one possible rivet hole, 4 mm in diameter, just below the groove. In addition to this, however, the top edges are crimped in, and this may have helped to secure the chape to the leather scabbard. There is pale matt green corrosion ov…
Created on: Monday 17th December 2001
Last updated: Thursday 24th February 2011
Spatial data recorded. This findspot is known as 'ARWARTON', grid reference and parish protected.

Record ID: SF6641
Object type: SCABBARD
Broad period: MEDIEVAL
County: Suffolk
Workflow stage: Published
Scabbard chape made from copper-alloy sheet. The top has a rectangular cross-section measuring 8 x 14 mm, with two very off-centre V-shaped cut-outs at the front. A soldered seam runs up the reverse, and the tip is formed from V shapes which are bent in together. Medieval, probably 13th to 14th century.
Created on: Thursday 23rd August 2001
Last updated: Thursday 24th February 2011
Spatial data recorded. This findspot is known as 'SUFFOLK ORFORD', grid reference and parish protected.

Record ID: SF6331
Object type: SCABBARD
Broad period: MEDIEVAL
County: Suffolk
Workflow stage: Published
Silver scabbard-chape. At the mouth it is almost triangular in cross-section, although the triangle is irregular and looks almost like the result of deformation subsequent to manufacture. The mouth is cut into nine low projections, each with an incurved top; three projections have decoration of three short vertical engraved lines. Below the projections is a wide raised collar with a median groove. The rest of the scabbard has just one area of decoration, a shield with a background of oblique lines on which is a plant motif (central ?flower and two pairs of branching leaves). The shiel…
Created on: Thursday 12th July 2001
Last updated: Friday 14th March 2014
Spatial data recorded. This findspot is known as 'SUFFOLK NETTLESTEAD', grid reference and parish protected.

Record ID: SF5723
Object type: SCABBARD
Broad period: POST MEDIEVAL
County: Suffolk
Workflow stage: Published
Copper-alloy chape from a scabbard, missing its sheet backplate. The front and sides have been cast in one. The top is incurved and has relief decoration of short oblique ribs. There is a large heart-shaped perforation just below, and a knop at the bottom. The patina is a dark grey.
Created on: Monday 4th June 2001
Last updated: Thursday 24th February 2011
Spatial data recorded. This findspot is known as 'SUFFOLK FRECKENHAM', grid reference and parish protected.

Record ID: SF5738
Object type: SCABBARD
Broad period: MEDIEVAL
County: Suffolk
Workflow stage: Published
Asymmetric sheet copper-alloy chape from a knife sheath or scabbard. The mouth of the chape is wedge-shaped or U-shaped, 9.5 mm in maximum width, and is slightly incurved on both faces. The reverse face has a soldered seam running down the centre. There is no decoration on the chape apart from a shiny white-metal coating. The closed end of the chape is an asymmetric point; on the wider side it is longer and has a shorter slope to the point, and on the narrower side (presumably the blade) the chape is shorter and has a longer slope to the point. It is hard to be certain about the …
Created on: Monday 4th June 2001
Last updated: Tuesday 25th June 2013
Spatial data recorded. This findspot is known as 'SUFFOLK FRECKENHAM', grid reference and parish protected.

Record ID: SF5489
Object type: SCABBARD
Broad period: MEDIEVAL
County: Suffolk
Workflow stage: Published
Sheet copper-alloy chape from a sword or dagger scabbard, made by bending the metal round into a triangular cup. The mouth measures 15 x 8 mm and is cut into a zigzag. There is a seam up the back, with a circular hole to one side which is now filled with what looks like a lead solder. The front is decorated with slightly uneven narrow grooves in a criss-cross pattern. Length 33 mm.
Created on: Tuesday 8th May 2001
Last updated: Friday 14th March 2014
Spatial data recorded. This findspot is known as 'SUFFOLK NETTLESTEAD', grid reference and parish protected.

Record ID: SF5213
Object type: SCABBARD
Broad period: MEDIEVAL
County: Suffolk
Workflow stage: Published
Silver scabbard chape made from sheet metal with a neat soldered seam up the back. The tip is damaged but was probably originally cut and folded in to form a closed end. The mouth is also damaged, but some of the original edges survive at the front to show that it had a decorative cut-out shaped into an ogee curve with a groove in the centre. To either side of this cut-out is a panel of cross-hatched engraving, and there is an engraved fleur-de-lis springing from the groove. There is no other decoration and the rest of the chape is smoothly polished. Surviving length 42 mm, width…
Created on: Wednesday 18th April 2001
Last updated: Monday 5th November 2012
Spatial data recorded. This findspot is known as 'SUFFOLK BUXHALL', grid reference and parish protected.

Record ID: SF5196
Object type: SCABBARD
Broad period: EARLY MEDIEVAL
County: Suffolk
Workflow stage: Published
Gold casing for a pyramidal scabbard mount in the form of a truncated pyramid, decorated with filigree zoomorphs on each face and a square-cut plate garnet at the apex. The casing is made from four sheets of gold, soldered edge to edge, with the joins on the display surface disguised by worn beaded filigree. Each of the four faces is ornamented with a single knotted snake-like zoomorph within a fine beaded filigree border. The zoomorphs are arranged in pairs and their bodies are made of triple-strand beaded filigree. The pairs are different in both form and execution, as if mad…
Created on: Monday 9th April 2001
Last updated: Thursday 24th February 2011
Spatial data recorded. This findspot is known as 'Near Bury St Edmunds', grid reference and parish protected.

Record ID: SF4162
Object type: SCABBARD
Broad period: EARLY MEDIEVAL
County: Suffolk
Workflow stage: Published
Small and rather crudely decorated silver sword pyramid. The base measures 13 x 12 mm and has the usual flat bar, 2 mm wide and running parallel to the shorter side of the pyramid. Inside the pyramid is some coppery corrosion. Each of the four faces has engraved geometric decoration within a single-line border, a different pattern on each face; the small square panel on the top has a saltire and no border. The engraved lines are narrow but appear to have contained a dark inlay, perhaps niello; they seem now to be rather worn. The pyramid is 6.5 mm tall. The use of these pyramids …
Created on: Friday 8th December 2000
Last updated: Thursday 24th February 2011
Spatial data recorded. This findspot is known as 'SUFFOLK FRECKENHAM', grid reference and parish protected.