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Description: | A copper-alloy mount of probable early post-Medieval date.The mount takes the form of a thin plate, its upper surface decorated with an elaborate ropework pattern. Its central portion is rectangular in plan and bears two heart-shaped decorations, one above the other, their points meeting at the centre, where there is a circular moulding. Arranged around this central point, overlying the two hearts, is a four-petalled flowerhead, each petal of which is also heart-shaped. Above the uppermost petal, and contained within the large heart-shaped ornament, is a double spiral; a similar motif is located at the bottom, within the lower heart. A ropework ridge extends around the perimeter of the rectangular central portion, whose pattern is interspersed with a number of moulded circular lobes. Traces of enamel also survive and indicate that the design took the form of a white flowerhead on a dark blue background. Flanking the vertical sides of the central panel is a pair of symmetrical openwork projections. Each openwork element consists of a 'V-shaped' ropework moulding which, at the top and bottom, terminates in an inward-curving spiral. Contained within the central depression is a smaller moulding of the same form, aligned at 180 degrees to the main one. On the flat and plain reverse are two rivets. These are located halfway up, one at each end of the rectangular central portion. Both have been deliberately bent outwards in order to secure them.The mount is slightly damaged in places. It measures 39.5mm wide, 30.3mm high and 4.4mm thick. The weight is 8.53g.A similar mount is illustrated by Mills, where it is described as a "Gilt buckle plate, probably late Roman" (1995: 43, Pic M109) . Although the recorder knows of no parallels from securely dated contexts, it is suggested that the decorative content of this piece is indicative of a probable 16th century date, the ropework spirals being comparable to those often seen on dress accessories of the period.
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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MOUNT
A copper-alloy mount of post-Medieval…
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