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Description: | Possibly 11th century or post medieval (pre-1700) copper alloy strap-end, measuring 51.7mm in length, 30mm in width and max.5.4mm in thickness. It weighs 33.45g.It is similar to the 11th century openwork Winchester style strap-ends, with Carolingian influences, and depicts two birds either side of a central tree/ stem with flowering bud at either end, their beaks open around the rounded but slightly pointed terminal.The strap-end has a slot (18.4x2.7mm) for attachment and not the more usual split or stepped end. Either side of this is a flat roundel with a punched cross, the ends of which are triangular.The birds are decorated with incised lines creating lines of tiny sqaures. The detail on the tail feathers is moulded. Each claw rests on a curlicue, the end of three which extend from a piercing along the stem 3.3mm in diameter. The other end extends to the flat roundel.At the pointed rounded terminal is a 2.5mm diameter hole with a thin skin of a whitish, pearlescent substance, possibly wax? This suggests a setting.There are two more areas of openwork. Two circular (4.4mm diameter) either side of the piercing on the stem, and two D-shaped either side of the top of the stem.The underside is smooth and flat. The patina is dark green and a little shiny.The slot arrangement is similar to an example from Coppergate, York (The Vikings in England 1981, p.115, YAB44. It might have articulated with a plate in the same way as NCL-897E02.There is some discussion as to whether this may be post-medieval, but pre-1700 in date.
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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