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Description: | An early-medieval cast copper-alloy strap-end, classified as Thomas' (2003, 2) Class A, Type 1 (Trewhiddle style). This would date the artefact to around the 9th century AD. The strap-end is generally flat in profile, but splayed at the split attachment end. The plate is sub-rectangular with convex sides, terminating in an animal head at one end. The split attachment end features the characteristic pair of perforations; both rivets are missing. On the lower part of the fold both holes have been abraded through. The plate is unifacially decorated on the upper surface; the reverse is plain. Below the rivet holes is a palmette formed of a nested chevron above a triangle with rounded base, formed by incisions. A rectangular field is delineated below by longitudinal grooves along the edges, up to the terminal. The outer ridges thus created are decorated by fine transverse nicks giving a laddered effect. The field is filled with a beast standing left when viweing the strap-end with animal-head terminal lowermost. The beast, rendered in the Trewhiddle style, has a rearward facing head with gaping jaws and annulet eye. The rear leg extends into extensive interlace which fills the field below the animal. A tail emerges from the top of the rump and travels diagonally across the neck. The field around the zoomorphic decoration is filled with decayed black niello, as probably were the grooves down the sides. The terminal has ears defined by inverted punched crescents. Below are two curved grooves that incurve and meet at the middle, the zones beyond, towards the edges, acting as eyes. There is an incised triangle in the zone at the tip, connected to an inverted open triangle above, the latter filled with niello. The strap-end has a dark-green patina.
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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