|
Date: |
|
Description: | Very corroded copper-alloy mount, perhaps from a book. Rectangular, the surviving dimensions are 41 x 33 mm but parts of the short sides (top and bottom) are probably missing. It has openwork decoration of a bird or mythical beast, with a long body running diagonally across the mount and ending in a curving tail, a single wing above, a head looking back towards the wing, and perhaps two or perhaps four legs. Around the animal is a frame, which the wing and head touch. There is a solid section between the lower body and the frame which has a circular rivet hole. The possible two forelegs are very short, and have a second rivet hole in between, so may simply be another solid part. The longer lower legs run down to a slightly oblique bar with two to three legs below, which may represent a second animal caught in the bird/beast's talons. The head and body are domed and hollow on the reverse. The body and the wing have traces of engraved ornament which may represent feathers. The mount was clearly once quite a nice piece. It is identified as a book mount because of its domed elements, which are common on book mounts and would have protected the leather covers from rubbing against a shelf or desk. The bird or beast may just possibly have been the eagle of St John, making the mount appropriate as one of four on a book of Gospels.
Original Image | Publisher: | http://finds.org.uk | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Identifier: | http://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/r... | Go to resource |
|
More Like this...
-
-
-
-
HOARD
Hoard of 23 coins, four…
-
MOUNT
Near complete copper-alloy openwork zoomorphic…
-
-
-
-
MOUNT
A pair of medieval cast…
-
MOUNT
A pair of medieval cast…
|