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Description: | A complete cast copper alloy 'S'-shaped belt fastner of Post-Medieval, sixteenth or seventeenth century date (AD 1550 - AD 1700). Length: 43.9mm; width: 20.4mm and 4.5mm thick. Weight: 13.56g. One terminal is in the form of a snake's head. The object is expanded in the centre as the main body of the snake. At the other end it tapers to a tail. The tail is further from the body than head; the latter almost touches the body. The strap fitting is decorated on both faces. On the flat lower surface are transverse lines. On the upper surface the main body of the snake is decorated by a repeating pattern of V shaped scales pointing towards the tail of the snake. The head has pellet eyes with half annulets around them. The object is now a dull red-brown colour. 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 to 17th century. The fastener was part of a sword belt, and was used in place of the normal buckle. It is likely that some of these strap fittings would have been tinned or gilded. Similar database examples are HAMP-229F45, HAMP-72B187, and HAMP-770C40.
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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