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Description: | A copper alloy book clasp dating from 1550-1650AD. It consists of two pieces of sheet copper alloy; an upper decorated plate and a narrower, rectangular, plain back plate. There are two rivet holes, one at each end; the rivet at the hook end is copper alloy and protrudes through the upper plate. A small portion of the rivet at the strap fastening end remains in the back plate and appears to have been of a ferrous material. The attachment end of the decorated plate has two short wings, one on either side of a circular knop, from which they are separated by shallow V shaped grooves. The other end is square and has a central projection which is curved to act as the hook. The design, which is incised into the upper plate, consists of two transverse rows of dots, one on each side of a narrow transverse groove just above the hook fastening and a series of longitudinal lines in the shape of a fan, tapering from the longest, central line to shorter lines at each edge. There is also a double circular groove around the rivet hole for the missing rivet at the strap fastening end. The clasp has a light brown patina. It is 38.5mm long, 20.4mm wide and 4mm thick. It weighs 3.4gm.
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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