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Description: | An incomplete cast copper-alloy heraldic harness pendant of Medieval date. It consists of a lozenge shaped plate that is rectangular in section and thickens towards the top where there is an integrally cast double suspension loop. The suspension loop is formed from two flat oval shaped lugs with central circular perforations, one of which is no incomplete due to old breaks. These are set at right angles to the plane of the pendant and have possible traces of a now missing cylindrical bar. On the back face of the plate there are two evenly spaced and integrally cast rivets, which are cylindrical in form with one complete example preserving a flattened round head. It is uncertain precisely why these rivets are present, but it is plausible that they enable attachment of further decorative elements that would have hung from the back face of the pendant. The front face of the pendant carries heraldic decoration, with gilding visible on the sides and suspension loop of the pendant. According to E. Martin (SCC Pers. Comm.) the heraldic elements may be described as "Per fess chequy or and gules, and ermine" or "Ermine, a chief chequy or and gules" (alternating gilt and red enamel squares on the upper half of the pendant, the lower half decorated with ermine and gilding). He suggests this probably relates to the Noers, Nouers or Nowers of Knossington, Leicestershire. He notes that: "In 1303 Robert de Noers held Knossington from Robert de Tatershall (whose arms were chequy or and gules, a chief ermine - strongly indicating that the Noers arms are an inversion of their lords' arms; the Tattershalls also held land in Lincs, Suffolk and Norfolk)". Robert was still living in 1309 and his son and heir Ralph was dead by 1319.This pendant measures 30.66mm in length, 24.60mm in width, 3.95mm in thickness, and weighs 9.36g.This is a heraldic harness pendant of Medieval date. The heraldic elements suggest that it probably dates to the first half of the 14th century AD, and perhaps between the years 1303-1319 AD.
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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