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Description: | A complete cast copper alloy four way strap or chain distributor of Medieval dating (c.1200 to c. 1500 AD).The distributor is cross like in shape, with an openwork oblique short-armed cross located at the centre. The four arms of the cross are raised up from the central circle, with triangular ends pointing into the centre of the distributor. The far end of each arm is circular in shape. A separate copper alloy strap attachment is folded around the recessed section between two of the arms of the cross. The strap attachment has one sub circular terminal, which has an intergral circular sectioned rivet on the reverse. The other terminal is flattened, with a notch in which the rivet rests. The terminals are linked by a narrow, straight sided rectangular sectioned bar, folded around the centre of the distributor.The strap distributor is a mid to dark brown colour, with an patchy surface patina. It has suffered from a minor degree of abrasion, with little signs of active corrosion present.The strap distributor measures 34.16mm in length, 35.00mm wide and 3.47mm thick. The strap attachment measures 14.22mm in length, 5.31mm wide (max) and 8.63mm thick. Together they both weigh 6.1 grams.Other types of strap distributors have been recorded on the PAS database, including a similar but incomplete example from Weybridge in Surrey. A similar example found at Middle Harling, Norfolk, also with one surviving strap-attachment folded around the bar, was mis-identified as a horse-harness pendant (Margeson in Rogerson 1995, p. 68, fig. 51, cat. no. 129). Other examples have been found with up to four strap-attachments (e.g. a gilded example from Stoke Holy Cross, Norfolk) making the identification as strap-distributors certain. Other examples on the PAS database include: HAMP-2AEF32 from Nether Wallop, Hampshire and NCL-CCD0F4 from Northumberland.Reference:Rodgerson, A. 1995 A Late Neolithic, Saxon and medieval site at Middle Harling, Norfolk. East Anglian Archaeology 74. Norfolk Museums Service. Dereham.
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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