|
Date: |
|
Description: | Cast copper alloy scabbard mount with squared off upper section and lower section tapering to a point. Two rivets remain at the top of the mount and two others remain on the left side of the mount as part of a group of four within the decoration. The two rivets on the right side of this group are missing. These rivets would have attached to a hide cover for a wooden scabbard which may have also been lined. The mount is 55 mm long, 35 mm wide and 1.7 mm in thickness. It weighs 16.77 g. A typical Iron Age sword is 35mm in width, so the scabbard would have been wider.
This object is dated to between the 1st century BC ā 1st century AD. The decoration is in the form of two āSā curves back to back, crowned by a palmette or mushroom motif which originates at the pointed end of the mount. The basic shape of the decoration (opposed 'S' designs) is found on a number of British Iron Age scabbards, usually placed just below the mouth of the scabbard. Each 'S' is comprised of a curved trumpet void at the top of the motif which is then curved around to meet a lobe and circle (an egg shape with a circle at the broad, rounded end) motif facing in the opposite direction. Elements of the motifs are highlighted using hatching, while the void at the top and base of the design are picked out with dots, which seems to be a tradition peculiar to the South West. The design uses elements that are commonly found on a number of objects decorated in what is known as Style V in Ian Stead's classification of British La Tene Art, or known as the Mirror Style in Cyril Fox's terminology. Objects with this style of decoration include the well known decorated bronze British Iron Age mirrors. This style of La Tene Art was common in the 1st Centuries BC/AD, but probably started in the 2nd Century BC. Although the design of this object is not directly found on any other object, it has broad similarities to the motifs found on the tops of a number of British sword scabbards including that on La Tene III sword scabbards from Hammersmith and Meare, although the latter is not symmetrical at the top of the design, and on earlier La Tene II scabbards from Fovant and Hunsbury. All these scabbards except Fovant, are decorated in Style V. Fovant has a Style IV motif. | Subjects: | scabbard | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Creator: | Tyacke, Anna - Portable Antiquities Scheme | Identifier: | http://www.findsdatabase.org.uk/hms/pas_... | Language: | en-GB | Go to resource |
|
More Like this...
-
MOUNT
Cast copper alloy scabbard mount…
-
MOUNT
Cast copper alloy scabbard mount…
-
-
-
SCABBARD
An incomplete copper alloy Scabbard…
-
Mount
A solidly cast openwork copper-alloy…
-
BROOCH
Copper alloy Dragonesque brooch in…
-
-
SCABBARD
This artefact has been studied…
-
HELMET
Report compiled by Dr. Julia…
|