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Description: | DescriptionBroochTwo keystone disc brooches were found in grave 2756 (Fig. 107a); both are incomplete but enough survives of the gilded copper alloy example ON 196 to identify it as belonging to Avent's (1975) Class 1.1, dated to the middle two quarters of the 6th century. The silver brooch ON 200 could not be identified to type. The brooches were found over the area of the upper body and, on the basis of parallels from Mill Hill, Deal, would have secured a garment at the neck and lower down the chest (Parfitt and Brugmann 1997, fig. 16, burials 25B, 64, 94, 102 and 105).BuckleAn oval copper alloy buckle with shield tongue and two shoe-shaped fittings (ON 199 b-d; Fig. 107a) was found just south of the centre of grave 2756 and covered by the remains of what appears to be a wooden cup (ON 199 a, see below). The buckle belongs to Marzinzik's Type I.2 and good comparisons come, for instance, from Mill Hill, Deal, graves 94, and 97 (Parfitt and Brugmann 1997, 188 fig. 51c; 190 fig. 53g). In England, where almost half theknown examples come from Kent, this Continental buckle type spans the 6th century, but the combination with the shoe-shaped fittings, which on the Continent are not common before the middle of the 6th century, would suggest a date in the second half of the century, also supported by the width (35 mm) of the buckle loop itself (Marzinzink 2003, 19). Girdle items and purses A collection of iron objects and organic remains was recovered by block-liftingpart of the fill from grave 2756 (Penton 2008). Its position in the grave, together with the mineralised textile and leather, strongly suggests that this is the remains of a purse. The mouth was kept open by a ring (ON 1220) which has a pair of curled terminals (Fig. 107a). These terminals may have functioned as lugs from which it was attached, via a thong, to the girdle. Another ring (ON 1219) may have been attached to the girdle. An iron toilet set (ON 1217), consisting of a pair of tweezers and iron rod, was kept in the purse (an alternative interpretation would see this as a girdle hanger consisting of a rod and spatula suspended from the ring, see Description), along with a section of chain (ON 1218) and a knife (ON 1221).BeadsGrave 2756 contained by far the largest number of beads from any grave at Cliffs End Farm, totalling 121 (Fig.107a&b). The suggested date range is broad (Tables AS4 and AS5). Taken altogether, the date range is c. AD 450-650, which could indeed suggest that some of the beads are heirlooms; alternatively, there is a chronological overlap for all types in the third quarter of the 6th century.Wooden cup/bowlA fragment of a wooden vessel (ON 199 a; Pl. AS1) was found just south of the centre of grave 2756, completely covering an oval belt buckle with shield tongue and two shoe-shaped fittings (ON 199 b-d). Due to its poor state of preservation it was unfortunately not possible to identify the mineral preserved wood to species (C. Barnett pers. comm.) The fragment is only c. 2-3 mm thick, which suggests that it belongs to a lathe-turned vessel. Better preservedexamples of such turned cups and bowls are known from several Alamannic and Frankish cemeteries in western Germany (Paulsen 1992, 110-2).Catalogue of findsGrave 2756 (Fig. 107a&b)W-E, sub-apsidal cut, acute straight sides, flat base sloping down to E (0.16m drop W-E);2.85 x 1.0m, max. depth 0.40m. Coffined remains: 2807; 10-20mm wide dark stain describing area 1.85 x 0.62m, 0.05-0.20m deep. Grave fill: 2757. Cuts Late Bronze Age ditch 3215 and ?Romano-British ditch 3152; relationship with grave 2501 to W lost.Grave-goods:ON 193: Copper-alloy fragment, L 10mm.ON 196: Copper-alloy gilded keystone disc brooch, incomplete; Avent (1975) Class 1.1.Central circular cell; setting missing replaced with copper corrosion products. Three keystones in raised cells, trapezoid in outline: One red & two green glass with possible hatched foil backing; three ornament types trapezoid in shape within beaded borders; outer raised beaded rim. Copper alloy catch- & attachment-plate; iron spring. D 26mm.Organic remains: mineral-preserved textile.ON 197: Large collection of amber, glass, apatite/gypsum beads distributed across a 0.30 x0.30m area, comprising (Fig. 107b):ONs 1129, 1132, 1135-7, 1139-1143, 1150-2 & 1156-8: 77 amber beads, D 6-18mm.ON 1129 (not illus.): fragments;ONs 1132 (not illus.), 1136-7, 1139, 1143, 1150, 1156 (not illus.) & 1158: 27 Buckland A01ONs 1135 (not illus.), 1140-2 (1141 not illus.), 1151 (not illus.), 1152, 1157 & 1159: 49 Buckland A02ONs 1130 & 1149 (not illus.): fragments apatite/gypsum beadONs 1131, 1133-4, 1144-8, 1153-4, 1160-1180 & 1236-7: 42 glass beads plus fragments;26 monochrome beads:ONs 1133 (not illus.) & 1145: three wound, blue, large, annular.ON 1146: wound & ribbed, blue, large, melon (partially fragmented)ONs 1147 (not illus.) & 1173: three wound, opaque yellow, medium, globular.ON 1148: five wound, opaque yellow, small, globular.ON 1154: wound, opaque white, medium, long pentagonal section cylinder.ON 1170: wound, green-yellow, medium, annular.ON 1171: wound, opaque brown-red, medium, long pentagonal section cylinder.ON 1172: wound, opaque yellow, medium, long pentagonal section cylinder.ONs 1174, 1175, 1176 & 1236 (sample find; last three not illus.): four wound, opaque yellow, small.ON 1178: wound, opaque brown-red, medium, annular.ON 1179: wound, brown-red, medium, globular.ON 1180: three wound, opaque brown-red, small, annular.ON 1237 (sample find; not illus.): wound, blue-green, medium, annular.16 polychrome beads:ON 1131 (not illus.): mosaic? blue, opaque brown-red, fragmented.ON 1134: complex mosaic, opaque red, blue, opaque white & one other colour (degraded), red applied over white dots, blue & white flowers, red bands. Fragmented (similar to ON 1161)ON 1144: wound, medium, biconal, opaque red-brown with black streaks & opaque yellow irregular linear trail.ONs 1153 & 1166-7: three wound, large, opaque red with opaque yellow wire drawn single spiral, cylinder.ON 1160 (not illus.): opaque red, opaque yellow, blue; fragmented.ON 1161: two complex mosaic; one large, folded cylinder & one medium, (degraded), red applied over white dots, blue & white flowers, red bands.ON 1162: wound applied spiral type, large, opaque red, opaque white body with two opaque yellow applied stripes, cylinder.ONs 1163 & 1164: two wound applied spiral type, large, opaque red, opaque white body with opaque yellow applied double crossing wave, globular.ON 1165: wound, large, opaque red with opaque yellow & opaque black wire drawn single spiral, cylinder.ONs 1168 & 1177: two wound, large, opaque red with opaque yellow irregular crossing waves, barrel.ON 1169: wound, medium, opaque red with opaque yellow single wave, barrel.ON 1138 (not illus.): silver disc-shaped object, D 16mm; probable necklace fitting.ON 1155: apatite/gypsum bead; large white cylinder frags., Buckland A18ON 199 a-d: Block of organic material, covering belt buckle and fittings; situated immediately S. of ON 193 (description from radiograph);ON 199 a: Fragment of distorted wooden bowl/cup, L c.95mm, W c.70mm.ON 199 b: Belt buckle with oval loop & fragmented, guitar-shaped shield tongue. Marzinzik Type I.2. L c.42mm, W 35mm.ON 199 c-d: Shoe-shaped belt fittings, with rectangular lugs visible in 'heel' areas, Lc.28 & 25mm.ON 200: Fragmentary silver Keystone garnet disc brooch; unidentified type. Part of oneempty trapezoid-shaped keystone extant with one trapezoid-shaped ornament within beaded border. Keystone & ornament enclosed by inner beaded rim within a possible zig-zag line formed of two rows punched triangles & outer beaded rim.ON 204: Mineralised remains & dark soil stain indicate leather purse comprising five ironartefacts: purse ring (ON 1220), knife (ON 1221), girdle item/toilet set (ON1217), ironring (ON 1219) & chain/iron fitting (ON 1218).ON 1217: Iron toilet set comprising rod & tweezers suspended from ring. Oval ring, Dc.24mm. Rod ?incomplete, oval section, L 50mm, D 4mm. Tweezers L 69mm max. W 9mm. Tweezers possibly spatula-type object & complex is part of the girdle.ON 1218: ?section chain or iron fitting, 29mm x 27mm.ON 1219: Iron ring, circular section, D 49mm.ON 1220: Sub-circular purse ring with oval section. Plate (L 50mm) attached to ring(D c.60mm, W 13mm); two curled terminals for suspension &/or decoration. Two unidentified fragments associated with ring.ON 1221: Knife blade missing tip & fragmentary tang. Largely complete rectangular sectioned tang; central on blade with distinct angle to back of blade; angled shoulder onto cutting edge. Back of blade straight, appears to curves up to tip. Böhner Type B. L 135mm, max. W 21mm; T?. Fragmentary rod (L 37mm) attached to knife by twisted thread, probably a 'lighter.'Organic remains: mineralised horn handle & leather sheath.Other inclusion: residual Romano-British pottery, struck and burnt flintDiscussionGrave 2756 can be dated to the middle or second half of the 6th century AD on the basis of the combination of the two brooches, the belt buckle and the beads. Details for this dating are outlined below. | Publisher: | http://finds.org.uk | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Identifier: | http://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/r... | Go to resource |
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