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Description: | An incomplete copper-alloy object of probable Roman date. No parallel could be found for this piece, but socketed cart fittings in the form of eagles are known (see, for example, Webster; 1958; pp. 97; no. 232) and are generally considered to be 1st century in date; it seems likely that this piece, which appears to be anthropomorphic in nature, is of a similar date and function. Other harness fittings, for example, three-looped terret rings, are sometimes decorated with human heads.
The piece consists of approximately one third of what would have originally been a tubular object. The outer surface has moulded decoration, the surviving parts of which appear to depict the back and side of a human head. The top edge is decorated with a moulded band, which extends in width from front to back and contains a pattern of wavy bands, probably designed to represent hair. Extending downwards from the back of the head is a hook-like projection, the exact purpose of which is unclear. Close to the front edge of the remaining part of the object, the side bulges out slightly into the face and there is a small curved moulding, which would seem to represent an ear. The bottom edge of the fitting is marked by a raised horizontal band. The central void, visible on the reverse, extends in diameter from bottom to top. The inner surface has attached a significant amount of what is probably iron corrosion.
The object measures 30.5mm high by 26.8mm from back to front and 12mm wide; it weighs 13.36g. | 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: | 1
100 | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Creator: | Julian Watters | Identifier: | http://www.finds.org.uk/database/artefac... | Language: | en-GB | Format: | text/html | Go to resource |
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