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Description: | A copper-alloy headplate knob from a Great Square-headed or Cruciform brooch of 6th century (Anglo-Saxon) date. Parallels can be seen on the headplate border of a Great square-headed brooch from Linton Heath, Cambridgeshire; and on another example from Dartford, Kent (see Hines, 1997, figs 19 and 20). A cruciform brooch found at Holywell Row, Suffolk, had a headplate top knob of similar form (see West, 1998, fig. 147, no. 4).The piece is complete, having been cast separately for later attachment to the headplate. It takes the form of a head of zoomorphic or heavily stylised anthropomorphic form. It is sub-trapezoidal in plan, tapering in width and thickness towards the front edge. The upper surface bears elaborate cast decoration. A deep transverse groove marks the back of the head; this gives way to a pair of eyes, each with a central pellet and defined on the underside by a crescentic moulding; a moulded ridge separates the eyes, representing the nose; two curves (which, it is suggested, may represent tusks or a moustache) are situated below the nose, their outer end extending back up the head, terminating at the level of the eyes. The facial features have been picked out with gilding. The knob would have been attached by two rivets. One of these survives in-situ, extending downwards from between the eyes; the other is missing but a hole at the centre of the vertical back edge marks its original position.The object measures 13.6mm long, 10.9mm wide and 6.4mm thick. The weight is 2.42g.
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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