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Description: | Cast copper alloy snake belt hook from the Post-medieval period. It is incomplete- the tail end having broken off. This 'S' shaped buckle is sub-oval in section and has a tapering terminal/ head at one end, which is in the form of a snake's head. The snake's multiple scales are also clearly visible along the length of the artefact. There is no other decoration on this artefact. Overall, the artefact is in a worn but fair condition with a brown patina.Similar examples are illustrated in Gordon Bailey's 'Detector Finds 3', 1997, pages 20-1. Bailey states that the 'snake form belt hooks' became popular during the 16th century, where an example can be seen in the portrait of Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester, c. 1575. The fastener was part of a sword belt, and was used in place of the normal buckle. It is likely that these strap fittings would have been tinned or gilded. The snake belt hook would seem to have fallen from fashion by the 17th century, and remained so until the end of the 18th century, when it was favoured by the military (Bailey, page 20).
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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