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Description: | Equestrian equipment: A large, cast copper alloy horse harness pendant of late medieval date. The pendant is of complex shape ( a round-armed cross overlying a square), and measures 45.7mm long (including suspension loop),37.8mm wide, 3.3mm thick, and 20.6mm in mass. Traces of gilding remain on the margins, and green and blue enamel within the display field (though colours may have degraded with time).
The display field is ornamented with heraldic arms. The field is divided into four quarters; the upper left and lower right bear three lions passant, while the upper right and lower left bear an unclear number of fleurs-de-lis. There may be three fleur-de-lis in each quarter, but if so they are rather 'crammed in' and unevenly spaced. Indeed, one motif in the upper right quadrant is positioned across across the lower edge of the quarter.
These arms (Azure three fleurs-de-lis or / Gules three lions passant guardant) are traditionally associated with English monarchs; they were first used as the royal arms by Henry IV (1399-1413), but continued in use well into the postmedieval period, as late as Elizabeth I (1558-1603). The pendant is clearly related to this tradition, but its rather careless application requires some explanation. Nonetheless, the design allows us to narrow the date range somewhat; this pendant cannot date earlier than AD 1399. Its large size might be suggestive of an even later (posibly postmedieval date). | Subjects: | Horse Harness | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Creator: | Ashby, Steven - Portable Antiquities Scheme | Identifier: | http://www.findsdatabase.org.uk/hms/pas_... | Language: | en-GB | Go to resource |
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