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Description: | A cast copper alloy stirrup-strap mount of later early medieval (Anglo-Scandinavian) date (1000 - 1100 AD). The stirrup strap mount is sub-triangular (broadly pear shaped) in plan with a convex (domed) front and a concave rear face. The edges of the mount are slightly beveled. In profile the mount is sub-rectangular (D Shaped) and in cross section the mount is arched (C shaped). At the apex of the mount is an oval projection / knop with a cast or pierced rivet hole. Through this hole is a small rivet with an oval head. The rivet is a mid-brown colour and there are large amounts of mid brown orange staining / corrosion present, however, the rivet is not magnet suggesting that it is not made from iron. Therefore, it is likely that the iron staining is from either the iron stirrup (lost) or from the burial environment. On the reverse of the lower edge is a prominent integral cast sub-rectangular flange which projects at right angles from the surface of the mount. This flange forms a projecting lip. Above this flange through the upper face of the mount are two further cast rivet holes, in the left hand hole are the remains of a metal (copper alloy) rivet to which the above description applies. The other rivet hole is empty. On the reverse face around the rivet holes and lower flange is an orange encrusted corrosion product. The mount measures 52.3mm in length, 28.8mm width, is 13.5mm thick and weighs 20.98 grams.
The front face of the mount is decorated with a series of cast raised curvi-linear ribs or lines. This decoration consists of a single zoomorphic beast, probably a dragon, depicted in plan. The mount has been abraded in the plough soil and so much of the decoration is indistinct. The animal has a long head (located beneath rivet hole) with snout and long ears. The head is joined to a wide neck, which extends into a sub-rectangular (rectangular with rounded corners) body. This body is formed from an interlocking woven pattern of curvi-linear ribs. These interlocking ribs extend into the five external elements of the design; four legs and a tail. The four legs are situated one at each corner of the design, the front two are extended and run parallel with the neck, and the two rear ones are tucked under the body. The tail is looped back upon itself and interwoven into the body of the beast; it terminates in a short point or arrow tip. The two rivet holes respect the interlaced design and are situated beneath it. The reverse of the mount is concave and plain or undecorated.
The stirrup strap mount is a mid ?? light green colour with a worn and abraded patina on all surfaces. There are small areas on both the front and rear surfaces of active light green powdery copper corrosion. This is most extensive on the concave rear and on the upper front face of the mount. The corrosion is most active in areas where abrasion has occurred. The abrasion is most likely to have been caused by movement in the plough soil. This has also resulted in a slight asymmetrical appearance in plan. The abraded surfaces are a mid brown purple colour. Similar stirrup strap mounts have been recorded by David Williams' 1997: Late Saxon Stirrup Mounts, which proposes a classification of this artefact type. This example clearly fits into Williams' Group A Type 10 A. pp 53-57. A very close parallel for this example is from Chillenden Kent (cat no 179). However, a good local parallel for this example can be seen in a recently recorded example from Pontesbury, Shropshire (PAS reference: HESH-B49325). | Subjects: | Strap Mount | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Creator: | Reavill, Peter - Portable Antiquities Scheme | Identifier: | http://www.findsdatabase.org.uk/hms/pas_... | Language: | en-GB | Go to resource |
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