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Description: | A cast copper alloy bovine (bulls head) vessel / bucket mount dated to the late Iron Age / Early Roman period 300 BC - 200 AD. The mount is an irregular triangular shape in plan and sub-rectangular in profile. The sides of the mount are slightly faceted and the rear face is concave with an irregular cell shaped depression. The mount measures 45.9mm length, 24.3mm width, is a maximum 21.2mm thick and weighs 20.91 grams.The front face of the bulls is most elaborately decorated. At the top of the mount is a broken presumably circular loop, of which approximately 40% remains. This loop is relatively wide with a central hole whose diameter is in excess of 7.5mm. The loop is cast integral to the rest of the mount and attaches centrally to the top edge of the head of the bull. The top edge of the bulls head is horizontal and the edges curve to form corners of approximately 90º. The sides of the mount then taper along their lengths, both sides are symmetrical. At the widest point of the head before the edges start to significantly taper are located two (one each side of the head) projecting ears. These ears are broadly oval in plan and D shaped in cross section. Each has a central oval concave dish taken from the centre of the ear to represent the flap/ hole. The right side ear survives well whereas the left is abraded. Parallel with these ears are two projecting horns located on the front face of the mount. These horns are slightly offset from one another. Both are oval in plan and crescent shaped in profile. Both horn tips have been lost, but would seem to terminate in rounded points. Only one of the horns is near complete (right side) and the other (left) is broken / damaged by abrasion. Below the horns the sides of the mount taper to form a long rather slender nose. Approximately halfway along the length of the mount positioned at either edge are two recessed circular cells (3mm diameter). These cells form the eyes of the bull. Both would have contained red enamel, however this only survives in the left eye, the right cells shows traces of some enamel or glassy substance. It is most likely to have also been red in colour. Beneath the eyes the shape of the mount changes from being relatively rectangular in cross section to be clearly D shaped. The front face hear to the base of the mount has a clear D shaped / convex cross section. Toward the very base of the snout, the edges of the mount expand / flare outwards. At the base of the mount, on the lower edge (which is D shaped) two clear circular indentations can be seen. These indentations represent the nostrils of the bull and are relatively shallow. Beneath these nostrils is an inverted U shape (∩). This represents the mouth and extends from corner to corner. The execution of this mouth would suggest it was incised rather than cast; the edges of the line are slightly uneven and the shape of the line wavers along its length.The rear face of the mount is undecorated and relatively plain. It consists of a single cell which has a maximum depth of 3.4mm. This cell is irregular in shape as it tapers and flares with the sides of the head. The cell contains a mineralised organic material which seems to be wood. Only small sections of this survive, but a clear grain can be seen under magnification. The survival of organic remains in this way is relatively rare. It is likely that the corrosion of either the copper alloy or possibly iron (as there is some iron staining present) along with the burial conditions has resulted in this preservation. The surface of the base of the cell cannot be assessed due to the nature of the organic material above. At the top of the mount underneath the loop and attached to the top rim of the mount is an integral cast sub-rectangular ( shaped) lug. This projects at 90º from the rear face of the mount. The tip of this projection is cast to form a 45º angle. The edges and the tip of this projection have been abraded, in the ploughsoil. Beneath this projection, at the widest point of the mount, at the same level as the ears and horns, are two U shaped notches (width 4.3mm, depth 1.3mm) on either edge of the rear cell. These notches are deliberately cast and must be functional in form. It is likely that they aid the attachment of the mount to the edge / rim of the vessel. The only fixings present on this mount are the rear projecting attachment and these U shaped notches, unlike other mounts there are no rivet holes or side loop attachments present. This may suggest that the size of the vessel was either relatively small or was not an every day functional object. Instead the role of the vessel may have been symbolic or purely decorative. It is also possible that the bovine head mount (in this case) was non-functional or purely decorative. This may suggest a later date to some of the other more robust and functional examples recorded by the PAS and others.The mount is a mid green colour with a well formed patina which covers all surfaces. The patina has been chipped in places, especially around the extremities of the mount. This is likely to be due to movement in the ploughsoil. This movement has also damaged the rear projecting attachment, the ears, horns and loop. The broken loop, although abraded, has a similar patina to that of the rest of the mount. This would suggest that the damage occurred in antiquity, possibly pre-deposition. A direct parallel for this mount has not been found. A bovine mount with blue glass eyes has been recorded by the PAS in Somerset (SOMDOR-B23561). A series of this type of mount is published in Early Celtic Art in North Britain Volume 2 Cat Nos 313-320; however the dating is uncertain for the majority of the examples. Ms Angie Bolton (FLO for the PAS) is currently revising this class of artefact. It is hoped that her study will enable a new form of typology or classification to be established. On viewing this example she thought that it was likely to date from the early Roman period rather than from the late Iron Age. This was due to the nature of the rounded enameled eyes.
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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