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Date: |
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Description: | Gold and garnet setting
An early medieval, probably Anglo-Saxon, gold and garnet setting, originally round but now heavily damaged, with most cells empty; plus a separate garnet and foil. A now distorted quatrefoil preserves remains of a white inlay. Scientific examination (cf. below) suggested that this is probably shell. The quatrefoil is encircled by four half-round, now empty cloisons. From these, stepped cells radiate outwards to the edge of the setting. Four of them still preserve their garnets. Due to the distortion of the object, the garnets have risen and partly tilted and on three of them it is thus possible to see their waffled backing foil. A triple frame surrounds this arrangement: The plain cell border is set inside a beaded wire ring and the outer edge of the object is framed by a twisted bead wire.
Now separate from the object are another garnet and its slightly scrunched backing foil.
The plain, round back-plate of the object is virtually undamaged. The tips of the three rivets holding the plain cell frame to the back plate are visible towards the edge. In addition, there are two holes in the centre of the back-plate. Broken ?rivet shanks are visible inside and will have served to attach the setting to the object it originally came from.
Discussion: It is not entirely clear what this stud actually is. Without a doubt, it was originally part of a larger object. Due to its shape, the likely presence of shell and the overall layout of the cells, it could be the central boss from an Anglo-Saxon plated disc or composite brooch. The triple frame would support this view and the stud would have been similar to those on brooches such as from Sarre or Kingston (Avent 1975,ii, plates 67, 68). Another, similar setting was found at Bidford-on-Avon, Warwickshire in 2001 (Treasure Annual Review 2001, no. 38).
Non-destructive X-ray fluorescence analysis of the surface of the cloisonn?? garnet mount from near Mildenhall, indicated a gold content of 79-82%, a silver content of 16-18%, and a copper content of 2-4%. The white inlays are probably shell.
Avent R. 1975, Anglo-Saxon Inlaid Disc and Composite Brooches. BAR British Series 11 (Oxford).
Dimensions: L 2.1 cm; W 1.7 cm; Diam. of backplate ca. 1.8cm; H 0.7 min.; Weight 5.87 grams
Note: This find qualifies as Treasure under the Treasure Act of 1996 in terms of both age and precious metal content.
Sonja Marzinzik
Curator of Insular Early Medieval Collections
Department of Prehistory and Europe
The British Museum | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Creator: | Minter, Faye - Portable Antiquities Scheme | Identifier: | http://www.findsdatabase.org.uk/hms/pas_... | Language: | en-GB | Go to resource |
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