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Description: | A copper-alloy knife chape of late early-medieval to medieval date. This category of artefact is discussed by P. Woods (1996), who suggests that the zoomorphic nature of the decoration displayed on several examples points towards an Anglo-Scandinavian origin. This piece would appear to be stylistically highly devolved, perhaps indicating that it lies towards the end of the suggested 10th to 11th century date range. The lower part of the chape consists of two identical openwork plates which are joined by a folded strip at the distal end. The plates are irregular in plan. The upper side steps down towards the distal end. The bottom side has a horizontal central portion, a single small lobe close to the distal end and a larger, double lobe at the bottom right hand corner, the lower one containing a rivet which joins hold the two sides of the chape together. The plates are punctuated by five sub-circular apertures and the surrounding surfaces have an indented pattern of lines of triangles, possibly rocker-arm decoration. Extending upwards from the uppermost corner of the chape is a pair of opposing 'arms', each being parallel-sided and of semi-circular section. At the top of each arm a transverse ridge lies below a lozenge-shaped terminal. A second rivet is located within these lozenge-shaped terminals, holding the two sides of the chape together. Apart from a break in one of the arms, the chape survives in good condition. It measures 32.9mm long, 36.3mm high and 5.1mm thick. The weight is 5.07g.
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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