Record ID: NMS-158102
Object type: BUCKLE
Broad period: MEDIEVAL
County: Norfolk
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
Incomplete gilded copper-alloy buckle plate, rectangular with five copper-alloy rivets. One end is neatly rectilinear, then it tapers very slightly to the centre, which is crossed by a fine engraved line. It then flares very slightly to two broken hinge loops; the base of the pin slot between them is clear. The rivets are all knob-headed, 3.5 to 4mm in diameter, bringing the maximum thickness to 5.7mm. The metal has corroded to a reddish brown colour with flecks of gilding. It measures 25.7mm long and 16.7mm wide, and weighs 3.3g. 13th or 14th century.
Created on: Thursday 22nd October 2020
Last updated: Saturday 26th August 2023
Spatial data recorded.

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Record ID: NMS-15D853
Object type: BUCKLE
Broad period: MEDIEVAL
County: Norfolk
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
Fragment of copper-alloy composite buckle, now very bent. The frame has been broken on one side and is now very bent out of shape. A pointed pin rest survives with a slight groove on its internal edge. There is another break at the pin constriction, with a little of one half of the forked spacer surviving, with most of the prong missing (old break). The other two breaks are not particularly worn. Measurements are hard to take due to distortion; it weighs 3.9g. 14th century.
Created on: Thursday 22nd October 2020
Last updated: Saturday 26th August 2023
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: NMS-14706E
Object type: SEAL MATRIX
Broad period: MEDIEVAL
County: Norfolk
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
Medieval lead seal matrix, flat with perforated lug on reverse, above relief decoration of a vertical line with three lines branching downwards on each side. Pointed-oval, 37.1 x 22.7mm; edges bevelled on reverse.. Elaborate fleur-de lis within plain groove. + S'MARIOTE: LE MILNERE (Seal of Mariote the Miller). 13th century. The elaborate fleur-de-lis consists of a central stem running from the top downwards, with two pairs of branches curving from the stem to merge with the surrounding groove, and a final oval lobe at the bottom. The oval lobe is decorated with thr…
Created on: Thursday 22nd October 2020
Last updated: Saturday 26th August 2023
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: NMS-AB4973
Object type: STRAP END
Broad period: EARLY MEDIEVAL
County: Norfolk
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
Copper-alloy strap-end of early-medieval date. Although fairly solid in feel, it is now very worn and most details have been lost. It tapers from a maximum of roughly 8.4mm wide at the split end, where some pieces of the edge have been lost. One half of the split end, apparently the front, is substantially thinner than the other half; both have a single, slightly off-centre circular rivet hole. The strap-end is oval in cross-section, with the front a little more strongly curved than the reverse. No identifiable decoration survives, but there is a very slight waist just …
Created on: Friday 20th January 2023
Last updated: Friday 25th August 2023
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: NMS-188BC9
Object type: BOOK FITTING
Broad period: MEDIEVAL
County: Norfolk
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
Copper-alloy book clasp of Howsam's type A.3, made from a thin strip of copper-alloy sheet mostly 14.2mm wide, with one end flaring to 15.4mm wide before being broken. The break is across the outer of two concentric grooves around a rivet hole (blocked with iron corrosion), with a second similar motif around a second rivet hole in the centre of the clasp. The other end of the clasp has a flat, slightly tapering, turned-under hook. It has further decoration of three transverse rows of fine rocker-arm ornament between the central circles and the hook, with a V shape of…
Created on: Friday 13th January 2023
Last updated: Friday 25th August 2023
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: NMS-47846D
Object type: PILGRIM BADGE
Broad period: MEDIEVAL
County: Norfolk
Workflow stage: Published
Description: Well-preserved gilded silver openwork pilgrim badge depicting St Margaret and the dragon. The saint is wearing a flat-topped crown, below which her hair frames her face; the face has no detail except for a nose. She wears a vertically ribbed garment and holds a book in her left hand and a cross in her right (so the book is on the viewer's right and the cross is on the viewer's left). The book appears to have a clasp on one edge. The cross's shaft is thrust into the open mouth of the dragon, whose belly-up body curves round below to form the edge of the badge; M…
Created on: Wednesday 29th September 2021
Last updated: Friday 25th August 2023
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: NMS-456999
Object type: WHISTLE
Broad period: POST MEDIEVAL
County: Norfolk
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
Description: Post-medieval silver bosun's or boatswain's whistle, essentially a narrow tube with cast three-dimensional decoration. One end is complete (the mouthpiece), decorated with a collar of two encircling bands with ribbing in between. There is a second similar collar about halfway along, which is joined to the scrolling tail of a three-dimensional fish or dolphin. The tail is also decorated with ribbing between raised lines, and is divided from the body by projecting elements, perhaps fins. There is scrolly relief decoration on the fish's body, a…
Created on: Wednesday 29th September 2021
Last updated: Monday 21st August 2023
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: NMS-D0E063
Object type: BUCKLE
Broad period: POST MEDIEVAL
County: Norfolk
Workflow stage: Published
Description: Silver asymmetric double-loop buckle frame, perhaps from a shoe or spur. One loop is rectangular and the other is D-shaped, with a pointed outside edge. The frame is D-shaped in cross-section, and the only decoration is an oblique groove at either outer corner of the rectangular loop; one of these grooves is now worn away at its outer end. The frame is thickened in the centre where it is drilled to take a separate bar, and the buckle is now bent up on either side of this hole, which is broken through to the reverse with the bar missing. The pin is also missi…
Created on: Thursday 10th November 2022
Last updated: Wednesday 2nd August 2023
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: NMS-2753D1
Object type: BRACTEATE
Broad period: EARLY MEDIEVAL
County: Norfolk
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
Description: Flat fragment of gold bracteate which has been made by hammering thin sheet gold over a die. It was originally circular, c. 39mm in diameter, but now only about a quarter of the circumference survives with edges that are a little longer than the radius. The curved edge has a short fragment of D-section plain wire frame surviving, soldered on for a short length and then bent over to the reverse; it looks as if the flat face of the wire was soldered to the edge of the disc. Inside the framing wire, the bracteate has an undecorated zone around 3-4mm wide, then a ring of punch…
Created on: Thursday 28th July 2022
Last updated: Tuesday 1st August 2023
Spatial data recorded.

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Record ID: NMS-83C951
Object type: RING
Broad period: MEDIEVAL
County: Norfolk
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
Copper-alloy ring, circular (25-26mm diameter) and of hexagonal cross-section, with filemarks on the outer angles. Solidly but not particularly neatly made, perhaps a little worn on the interior edges. 3.5mm thick, 3.5 to 4.5mm wide, weighs 5.2g. These rings probably had many uses, from brooch or buckle frames to harness rings, curtain rings and so on. The filemarks on this one probably indicate a medieval date.
Created on: Tuesday 13th December 2022
Last updated: Tuesday 25th July 2023
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: NMS-15F76C
Object type: FINGER RING
Broad period: POST MEDIEVAL
County: Norfolk
Workflow stage: Published
Description: Gold mourning ring of late 17th- or early 18th-century date. The hoop is of even width throughout, and is D-shaped in cross-section. It is decorated on the outer curved face in one place only, forming a bezel, where a simplified skull motif has been added by engraving. The skull is turned in a three-quarter pose, with each side made from a V-section groove which runs across the outside of the hoop in a curve. The face is made up of two hemispherical depressions for rounded eyes, a triangular nose between, and a short oblique groove above the nose. Below the…
Created on: Wednesday 29th July 2020
Last updated: Tuesday 25th July 2023
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: SF9179
Object type: PILGRIM BADGE
Broad period: MEDIEVAL
County: Suffolk
Workflow stage: Published
Lead-alloy pilgrim's badge depicting St Andrew, now bent in half. An upright rectangular plaque, it has a surviving projection at one lower corner that would originally have extended to a stitching loop; the other three corners are broken. St Andrew is in the centre of the plaque, wearing a striped or pleated gown drawn in at the waist; his limbs are splayed as if attached to an X-shaped cross. He faces the observer, but his face is very crude indeed with two large round eyes, a round nose and two large straight lips filling the whole of the space. The arms emerge from the gown to…
Created on: Friday 16th August 2002
Last updated: Monday 17th July 2023
Spatial data recorded. This findspot is known as 'SUFFOLK BRADFIELD COMBUST WITH STANNINGFIELD', grid reference and parish protected.

Record ID: SF8920
Object type: SPEARHEAD
Broad period: BRONZE AGE
County: Suffolk
Workflow stage: Published
Small copper-alloy side-looped spearhead or arrowhead. Most of the blade is missing, with a corroded and slightly worn break just above the socket; in addition, quite a bit of one face of the socket is missing just below the base of the blade. The side loops are small, and there is a rounded midrib to the blade. Deep brown patina with areas of pale green corrosion where damage (possibly recent) has occurred. Surviving length 61 mm, estimated original length c. 83-108 mm. Surviving width (probably only slightly less than the original width) 16 mm, external diameter at socket 15 mm, weig…
Created on: Monday 15th July 2002
Last updated: Wednesday 21st June 2023
Spatial data recorded. This findspot is known as 'HEMINGSTONE', grid reference and parish protected.

Record ID: SF8440
Object type: SPEARHEAD
Broad period: BRONZE AGE
County: Suffolk
Workflow stage: Published
Copper-alloy basal-looped or pegged spearhead, very worn and corroded. The base of the socket and possible loops, plus the tip, are missing, along with much of the wings. The wings were probably originally quite narrow, as edge bevels survive in two small areas. The midrib is rounded. Possible basal loops are suggested by spurs at the base of the wings, with gaps above. Although it is possible that the base of originally solid unlooped wings have merely corroded away leaving these spurs, and that this is therefore a pegged spearhead, the long narrow form and concave channels beside the…
Created on: Wednesday 24th April 2002
Last updated: Wednesday 21st June 2023
Spatial data recorded. This findspot is known as 'BRANTHAM', grid reference and parish protected.

Record ID: NMS-4D5537
Object type: CUFF LINK
Broad period: POST MEDIEVAL
County: Norfolk
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
Silver cufflink element, missing all of its edge. What survives is the flat centre, decorated in the middle with a crudely engraved hexagon, with very short lines radiating inwards from its concave edges. In the centre is a circle with even shorter, finer lines radiating outwards; the two sets of short lines do not meet. The circle has another circle, or possibly heart shape, within it which is filled with parallel grooves.  Surrounding the concave-sided hexagon are hints of eight dished areas, one of which retains a tiny fragment of original edge. This is straight, suggesting th…
Created on: Monday 28th November 2022
Last updated: Tuesday 13th June 2023
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: NMS-FB9AE3
Object type: BODKIN
Broad period: POST MEDIEVAL
County: Norfolk
Workflow stage: Published
Description: Fragment of silver bodkin or head-dress pin. One end survives, with a small rounded scoop; apart from the scoop, the pin or bodkin is rectangular in cross-section. It narrows to a waist below the scoop, then flares out again to a D-shaped area pierced with a small circular hole c. 2mm in diameter. Below this is a collar of two transverse grooves which run right around the object, There is then a short undecorated area, then the bodkin is decorated on both the larger faces with identical decoration. There is a series of nine longitudinal grooves running up towards the …
Created on: Thursday 26th November 2020
Last updated: Friday 9th June 2023
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: NMS-CED7ED
Object type: FINGER RING
Broad period: MEDIEVAL
County: Norfolk
Workflow stage: Published
Description: Gold and gem finger-ring, the gemstone held in place by four claws. The circular-section hoop is slender, generally 1.4mm in diameter. It flares upwards and flattens in thickness to a tall stirrup-shaped bezel which is just 0.9mm thick. This has a rounded cut-out at the top which wraps around the gemstone at little to form a pair of claws. At right angles to these are two more claws which are apparently integrally cast with the rest of the hoop. When viewed from the underside, there is no back to the bezel nor any kind of collet wrapped around the stone; the two …
Created on: Thursday 10th November 2022
Last updated: Thursday 8th June 2023
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: NMS-7B3A48
Object type: FINGER RING
Broad period: POST MEDIEVAL
County: Norfolk
Workflow stage: Published
Description: Small gold finger-ring with posy inscription. The hoop is D-shaped in cross-section, with a groove around top and bottom. Between the grooves, the surface of the ring has an evenly hammered surface, as if it has not been polished after construction. The flat interior has an inscription in lower-case italic script, reading If this then me. The engraving of the inscription is black in colour, probably inlaid with enamel, although the actual substance of the inlay is hard to see except on the e of me, where it appears to survive as a bubbly matt substance. Dimensio…
Created on: Tuesday 26th April 2022
Last updated: Tuesday 6th June 2023
Spatial data recorded. This findspot is known as 'Costessey area', grid reference and parish protected.

Record ID: SF3547
Object type: SPEARHEAD
Broad period: BRONZE AGE
County: Norfolk
Workflow stage: Published
Fragment of copper-alloy rib-bladed ?side-looped ?spearhead. The fragment is from the lower part of the blade, and retains part of the midrib/socket. The blade is basically flat, but has a curving rib on both faces which runs roughly parallel to the blade edge, about a third of the way from the edge to the midrib. Deep brown patina. The breaks (paler green/brown) are not recent but are probably not ancient. Surviving length 46 mm, weight 17.0g. The curving rib is unusual. It is likely that it derives from the straight ribs on the Irish kite-shaped side-looped spearheads of the early Mi…
Created on: Tuesday 26th September 2000
Last updated: Thursday 1st June 2023
Spatial data recorded. This findspot is known as 'NORFOLK RUNHALL', grid reference and parish protected.

Record ID: SF5271
Object type: CATCH
Broad period: EARLY MEDIEVAL
County: Suffolk
Workflow stage: Published
Tiny copper-alloy clasp or catch, probably from a bag or box. It consists of a bar 2.5 mm wide, D-shaped in cross-section, decorated with unevenly spaced transverse grooves, with flattened circular terminals 4 mm across. One terminal is pierced, and probably revolved around a peg; the other is also pierced, but has a section of the circumference near the bar cut out to make a hook. This probably engaged with a second peg on the bag/box lid or body to fasten it. These objects are found occasionally in graves of the seventh or early eighth century AD but are exceptionally rare metal-dete…
Created on: Friday 20th April 2001
Last updated: Wednesday 31st May 2023
Spatial data recorded. This findspot is known as 'SUFFOLK CODDENHAM', grid reference and parish protected.