|
Date: |
|
Description: | An incomplete cast copper alloy harness pendant suspension plate with gilding, dating to the Medieval period, between AD 1200 - 1400 (length: 22mm; width: 15.5mm; thickness: 8mm; weight: 4.3g). The suspension plate is lozengiform in shape with a flat side-section. At the top of the artefact, the front of the plate (length: 15mm; width: as above; thickness: 3mm) is decorated with a series of lines comprising of different sized lozenges. There is a large lozenge (length: 4.5mm; width: 4mm) in the centre of the plate with four other similar sized lozenges above to the top left and right and below to the bottom left and right. In between these larger lozenges, it appears that smaller lozenges (length: 1.5mm; width: 1.5mm) are placed to the top, bottom, left and right of the larger central lozenge. There also appears to be other probable lozenges at the outside edge which the pattern probably continues. These lozenges are slightly raised, but there is no remains or suggestions of enamel in the recessed areas. Below the decorated front of the artefact, the integral double suspension/ attachment loop is still mostly intact (length: 7.5mm; width: 5.5mm; thickness/ outer diameter of loop: 5.5mm). The pin that would have originally existed between these loops to attach the plate to the pendant is now missing. Additionally, there are small areas of gilding remaining on the sides of the artefact immediately below the suspension/ attachment loops. It is impossible, however, to suggest how much of the suspension mount would have originally been gilded. The back of the suspension plate is flat and undecorated with a central long and cylindrical cast copper alloy rivet protruding outwards at a slight slant, which would have originally held the plate to the horse?s leather reins/ bridle (length: 4.5mm; diameter: 4.5mm). Overall, the suspension plate is in a worn and but fair condition with a patchy dark green patina. Ward Perkins states Ward Perkins states in the ?London Museum Medieval Catalogue? [1940] on p. 118 that pendants ?were attached to the harness in several ways. Usually they swing from a fitting which was attached direct to the leather straps. This may consist of a horizontal bar with a downward projection for the attachment of the pendant?.Pendants were also worn from the strap across the horse?s forehead.? | 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: | 1200
1400 | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Identifier: | http://www.finds.org.uk/database/artefac... | Language: | en-GB | Format: | text/html | Go to resource |
|
|