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Description: | An incomplete cast copper alloy hooked tag, dating to the Early Medieval period during the 9th/ 10th century AD (length: 24mm; width: 16mm; thickness: 0.8mm; weight: 1.9g). The hooked tag is sub-triangular in plan and flat in section. The top of the artefact is shaped into three curved lobes , with the smaller central lobe in the centre of the hooked tag. There appear to be irregular small incised markings along the outside edge of these lobes with an approximate length of 2.5mm. There are two rivet holes to the left and right of the top of the artefact (diameter of rivet holes: 2mm), although both probable copper alloy rivets are now missing. The front of the hooked tag is decorated with ridged and incised markings representing a beast?s head in the Trewhiddle art style. Firstly, there is an incised central line running down the length of the artefact with a slightly raised linear border to either side. The eyes of the beast are depicted as two ?()? raised borders as well as a sub-oval shaped eye within each border. Additionally, there are slightly raised curved features to the left and right near the bottom of the decorated front of the artefact. The hook that would have originally extended outwards from the decorated face is now completely missing. The back of the artefact is undecorated and, overall, the hooked tag is in a slightly worn but fair condition with a dark green patina. Similar examples are illustrated in MacGregor, A & Bolick, E, 1993, ?A Summary Catalogue of the Anglo-Saxon Collections (Non-Ferrous Metals)? in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, page 190, ref nos 32.1-32.5. MacGregor & Bolick state that these artefacts ?performed a range of functions in fastening clothing, headgear, or indeed bags and purses. A funerary role as shroud-hooks is also possible for some examples?. A strap end with similar decoration is also illustrated in Hinton, D, A, 1974, 'Catalogue of the Anglo-Saxon Ornamental Metalwork 700 - 1100 in the Department of Antiquities, Ashmolean Museum', pages 12-13 & plate V, ref no 5, which was probably found in the Burford area, Oxfordshire and is dated to the 9th century AD. | 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: | 800
1000 | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Identifier: | http://www.finds.org.uk/database/artefac... | Language: | en-GB | Format: | text/html | Go to resource |
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