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Date: |
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Description: | A damaged copper-alloy and lead artefact. Previously, these artefacts were thought to be sword pommels; however, in a recent article in 'Medieval Archaeology' (no. 38, 1994, p. 171-5), Simon Bailey has questioned this interpretation and suggested that they may be terminals from the bases of ecclesiastical cross shafts. This particular piece is very similar to an example from London (London Museum Medieval Catalogue 1967, p. 23, no. 2, described as a sword pommel), and to PAS record number DENO-CC4B34. The decorative styles of other pieces, for example BUC-69D596, suggest a date range of c.1000-c.1200 AD.
The artefact takes the form of a three-dimensional openwork chamber which is circular in plan, flat omn one side and slightly domedon the other. The domed surface is decorated with a cross, which has a flattened hemispherical pellet at the centre, three smaller pellets on each arm, and a double ring of small pellets around the circumference. The other side is largely the same, apart from not having an inner ring of pellets. The face around the circumference is also openwork and has zig-zag-configuration struts decorated with small pellets. Extending from the top of the openwork chamber is a damaged, straight-sided socket with an opening at the top. Unusually for this category of artefact, the chamber has been filled with lead, which extends right to the top of the socket. It is hard to envisage how any wooden shaft could have been inserted into it.
The object has corroded surfaces. It measures 56.9mm long, 51.7mm wide and 27.2mm thick. The weight is 364.1g. | Subjects: | Teminal | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Creator: | Watters, Julian - Portable Antiquities Scheme | Identifier: | http://www.findsdatabase.org.uk/hms/pas_... | Language: | en-GB | Go to resource |
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