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Description: | Incomplete copper alloy circular Roman mount sometimes known as a 'bell shaped stud'. The object is circular in plan with a flared trapezoidal section that extends from a short neck that is circular in section. The 'underside' of the bell or flared area is countersunk with a flat bottom. Protruding from the centre of the countersunk area is a conical boss, approximately 1mm high that has a concave circular depression in its tip, making it flat across its top. To the reverse of the 'neck' portion of the object is a significant patch of orangey brown copper alloy corrosion that extends up the neck and onto the flared side of the mount. This probably covers the site of an integral fixing shaft witnessed in other such mounts. The object has an over all length of 10.48mm and weighs 7.45g. It has a diameter of 17.7mm across the 'bell' mouth and 12.68mm across the 'neck'. Where the original surface survives the object has a mid green patina. It is noticeably abraded on the rim with patches of light green. There is severe orangey brown corrosion product on the object as detailed before. Given the advanced state of the corrosion, damage probably occurred in antiquity. Mounts of this type are probably decoration from furniture or vehicles, though they may have had any number of uses. Allason-Jones and Miket illustrate a number in the Catalogue of small finds from South Shields Roman fort. It is worth noting that Crummy 1983, Roman small finds from excavations in Colchester 1971-9 illustrates a lock pin with a similar shaped terminal, which might also indicate a use for these mounts.
Original Image | Publisher: | http://finds.org.uk | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Identifier: | http://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/r... | Go to resource |
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