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Description: | Incomplete, cast copper alloy prick spur of Medieval date (1050 - 1350). The fragment consists of the integral cast goad and bar which attached it to the back of the spur. The break is relatively fresh and unpatinated suggesting recent damage. The goad is broadly bi-pyramidal in shape with four tapering irregular sub-triangular sides forming a tapered and slightly crooked apex. The opposite side of the goad, where it joins the stem, has slight faceted edges which join with the stem. The stem is lentoid in cross section with faceted faces. There ois no evidence of decoration or an applied surface, such as silvering or gilt. The fragment measures 48.1mm length, 15.5mm width across goad, is 15.1mm thick across goad, is 7.2mm width across the stem and 6.7mm thick across stem. It weighs 15.17 grams.The spur fragment is a dark green colour with a well developed polished patina. The external edges are slightly abraded and the surface is corroded with a light green coloured copper corrosion. Similar spurs can be seen in Ellis, 1985 (The Medieval Horse and its Equipment London: HMSO page 124-130). She explains that spurs with single pointed goads have been worn since the Roman period and continued into the early 14th century, where upon rowel spurs became the dominant form. The earlier spurs have straight sides and the curved side was introduced in the 12th century. In the medieval period the use of gilding on spurs was used to indicate a man's status as a knight, but it is likely that the gilding of spurs began before the conventions and customs of dress and rank became the norm in the later medieval period. Similar prick spurs can be seen in Ellis, 2002, Prick spurs 700-1700, Finds Research Group Data Sheet 30, and the London Museum Medieval Catalogue, 1967, London: HMSO, figures 28.8 and 31. Due to the fragmentary nature of this example a precise sub-categorisation or date cannot be given, however as the fragment is not gilt it is possibly early and date from the 11th - 13th centuries AD. The goad is sub-catagorised as being Ward Perkins Type 8, which is seen on tombs dated around 1200 ish.
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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