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Description: | Cast copper alloy heraldic harness pendant of probable 14th-century (c.1250 - c.1450) date. The pendant is sub-rectangular (lozenge or diamond shape) in plan and sub-rectangular in cross-section. The edges of the shield are slightly beveled and the profile of the pendant is slightly bowed (convex). On the top of the lozenge is an integral cast suspension loop which is set at 90 degrees to the plain of the pendant. This loop has a small copper alloy rivet through it. The pendant measures 33.8mm in length, 28.5mm in width, and is 2.4mm thick. The suspension loop measures 8.4mm in length, 2.8mm in width and it is 5.2mm thick. The copper alloy rivet measures 5.7mm in length and has a diameter of 3.8mm. The pendant weighs 7.57 grams.
The front face of the pendant has a much decayed enameled and gilt design. This design consists of two elements. The central motif is of a griffin segreant (rising rampant with wings expanding and head thrown back). This design is depicted in red enamel (which is now almost all lost). The red enamel seems to have had a layer of silver foil (?) laid over it. The griffin motif is set into a background panel of blue (or possibly green) enamel. The rear of the pendant is plain and undecorated.
The harness pendant is a mid brown colour with an abraded patina that covers all surfaces. There are small patches of light green active powdery corrosion present, especially on the rear of the pendant. The pendant has also been slightly abraded in the soil. This abrasion has resulted in a loss of enamel from the front surface and an irregular asymmetrical shape.
Similar lozenge shaped heraldic horse harness pendants have been dated to the middle of the medieval period, specifically the 14th century (Griffiths: 1986: Horse Harness Pendants. Finds Research Group Data Sheet 5). Griffiths categories these pendants as type 3 (lozenge). A possible parallel for this pendant can be seen in the London Museum Medieval Catalogue (1940: Impression 4 - 1970: fig. A8870 plate XIX (fig 5) and fig 40 (no. 4), page 120-121). This parallel was found in London. | Format: | text/html | License: | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ | Publisher: | The Portable Antiquities Scheme | Rights holder: | The Portable Antiquities Scheme | Subjects: | archaeology | Temporal: | 1250
1450 | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Creator: | Peter Reavill | Identifier: | http://www.finds.org.uk/database/artefac... | Language: | en-GB | Format: | text/html | Go to resource |
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