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Description: | Cast copper alloy gilt mount in the shape of a mace (weapon) for the display of heraldic harness pendants of probable 14th-century (c.1250 - c.1450) date. The mount is irregular in both plan and profile. It is cast in one piece and extends from an acorn shaped oval knop through to a four armed cross. Each arm is further sub-divided into two parts and pierced with a single horizontal hole from which an enamelled pendant would have been supported. Beneath this cross the mount tapers to a round cross sectioned bar which has a slight pointed functional terminal, presumable to fit into a piece of harness (saddle pommel) or possibly some form of carriage. The whole mount would have been heavily gilt and remnants of this applied surface are present on a number of surfaces. The suspension holes are all stained with iron corrosion suggesting the use of iron axis bars. The holes present have a diameter of 3.4mm and the distance between each of the divided arms is 4.2mm.The mount measures 66.2mm in length, 25.7mm width, is 28.6mm thick and weighs 32.42 grams. The harness mount is a mid green colour with a much broken and abraded patina which covers most surfaces. All the edges of the mount have been damaged by movement in the ploughsoil and here friable light active green corrosion is present which is causing them to laminate. A direct parallel for this mount has not been found but it is likely to be a variant on the more standard examples shown as dating from the middle of the medieval period, specifically the 14th century (see Griffiths: 1986: Horse Harness Pendants. Finds Research Group Data Sheet 5 and Ashley 2001: Medieval Armorial Horse Furniture in Norfolk). The style of mace depicted would also date from the same 14th century period.
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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