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Description: | An incomplete copper alloy early medieval openwork strap end. The terminal is preserved but the remainder of the strap end is missing due to old breaks. The strap end is tongue shaped with a rounded terminal end, the surviving fragment measuring 18.78mm in length and 25.55mm in width. The terminal has moulded openwork decoration with two circular holes above three sub-oval shaped holes, the sub-oval holes to the left and right being much smaller in size. Around the holes are traces of incised curvilinear grooves that give the front face of the terminal a slightly foliate appearance. The entire object is 2.28mm in thickness, and weighs 3.63g. This is a small fragment from the terminal end of a much larger late Early Medieval/Saxon or Viking strap end. The shape of the strap end combined with the openwork decoration that resembles plant foliage places this example in Thomas' Class E strap ends, and probably in his Class E, Type 1 group (Thomas, 2004: 2-3, fig. 4). This group comprises strap ends decorated in the Winchester style that have openwork decoration that is "ultimately derived from 'inhabited plant-scroll'-a motif characterised by fleshy plant foliage and confronted pairs of naturalistic birds and animals" (Thomas, 2004: 2). In the best examples plant and animal forms are rendered to a high degree of quality, but in general the plant and animal life is simplified into a "simple symmetrical openwork pattern" (Thomas, 2004: 2). This group is dated to the 10th-11th centuries AD. Incidentally, two near identical examples are noted on the PAS database from Suffolk (SF-020FE7 and SF-2C7CB2). The latter of these examples is near identical not only in terms of manufacture but also in that the break is in an identical position leaving a terminal end of near identical size, shape and weight. This suggests a common weakspot in the arrangement of the openwork decoration.
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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STRAP END
An incomplete copper-alloy late Anglo-Saxon…
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