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Description: | Cast copper-alloy sword pommel dating to the Early Medieval period. The object is of lobed form and hollow. The base, which curves upwards at the ends, would have rested upon a concave pommel bar. The exterior is decorated with thirteen lobes with domed ends that taper towards the broad end where the handle was attached. The lobes vary in size with the central lobe being the widest at 18mm. This is flanked by two lobes of c.4mm in with, which are in turn flanked by two lobes of approximately 8mm wide. The next lobes are 4mm wide, followed by lobes of approximately 5mm in width. The final two lobes on each side measure approximately 4mm in with. The largest central lobe has broken at the top creating an irregular perforation of 20mm wide. At the base of the object is an oval opening which held the protruding sword tang. The opening is 22mm wide and 10mm in length. A small amount of gilding can be seen next to this opening.Each surface of the object is decorated by a raised horizontal median band which divides the decoration in two. The decoration appears to be the same on each side, however in places it is worn or has chipped away and it is therefore difficult to be certain. Above the median band the object is decorated with a series of raised vertical ridges. These ridges stop just below the lobes. The ridges are dissected by two shallow horizontal grooves. These grooves are irregular and uneven. On one side of the object semi-circular grooves can be seen at each end of the object, which terminate against the median band. The upper part of the decoration has chipped away on this side and a small amount of gilding can be seen.Below the median band the object is decorated with a raised central oval which is bordered by an oval ridge. To each side of this are V-shaped ridges which point downwards from the median band. There appear to be two sets of V-shaped decoration to each side which then have a series of larger Vs expanding downwards. Below the V-shaped decoration are wave-like ridges which fill the remaining part of the pommel. The decoration has been chipped away at the base of each side where contact would have occurred. The base of the object is undecorated.The object has a dark brown patina and is in fair condition. The form of the pommel suggests that it is Anglo-Saxon and of late ninth-century date. However a parallel is as yet unknown for the decoration. It is possibly a poor version of the Trewhiddle style. The object is very important for the area and is a find of note.
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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