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Description: | A small fragment from the corner of a copper alloy Medieval monumental memorial brass. The bottom left hand corner of the original brass survives intact, the remainder missing due to old breaks. It is flat, sub-rectangular in form and is palimpsest in that it preserves decoration on both faces demonstrating use and re-use in two differing periods. The original or primary face has traces of figural decoration. This depicts one edge probably from a Medieval costume or figure with a relatively wide border that contains shaded decoration formed from multiple diagonal lines. The figural decoration covers approximately one third of the face, the remainder is slightly recessed with an uneven surface and one or two thin diagonal and vertical lines. Presumably this reserved area once contained additional decoration, possibly enamelling. This face demonstrates that the brass has been re-used at a later date. With the well-defined coerner hald to the top right, the figural decoration resembles the lower corner and folds of a Medieval garment. However, it is clear that the decoration is transected by the upper edge of the brass and that it bears little relation or orientation to the opposite face, highlighting that at a later date it was altered to be used as a new monumental brass. The secondary face is oriented with the corner to the bottom right and is decorated with elaborate lettering in a gothic script. The fragment is relatively small and few of the letters survive making reconstruction of the inscription or date impossible. However, the remains of three lines of wiriting are still visible. Only the very base of one letter in the upper line survives intact and it is uncertain precisely what letter this may have been. Beneath this the second row begins with what appears to be a letter I followed by a second incomplete and uncertain letter. The bottom row begins CC with possibly a third C following them, probably part of the date written in Roman numerals that the individual commemorated died. The lettering is deeply incised into the face with short diagonal serifs visible on many of the letters and short diagonal strokes within the incisions. All three lines terminate in old breaks and half of a large circular perforation is visible at the break between the second and bottom rows of writing. The object measures 63.59mm in length, 47.81mm in width, 3mm in thickness, and weighs 53.84g. This is a small fragment from one corner of a monumental and palimpsest memorial brass, probably funerary related. The decoration on the primary face is of probable 13th-14th century AD date, while the style of writing on the secondary face suggests a later date in the 14th-15th centuries AD or later. This might indicate a date range of c.1250-1500 AD for the current example.
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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