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Date: |
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Description: | A cast copper alloy gilded mount, possibly a stirrup terminal mount dating to the 12th century. The mount is in the shape of a bird or beast's head, holding a ball in its partly open mouth. The upper part of the head has scrolled tendrils that may indicate eyes, ears and nostrils; at the very tip of the mouth / beak are two small circular recesses filled with a yellow paste or glass: these also have the appearance of nostrils. The tendril terminals at the top of the head appear to end with a snake's head. The outer edges of the jaw of the creature has incised vertical lines suggestive of teeth. One arm of the upper head tendrils continue to the underside; once upturned, these arms appear to deliniate the head of a second creature, possibly a snake, with eyes again depicted by recesses filled with yellow paste or glass. At the back of the object (i.e. to the opposite end of the mouth/beak) is a sub-oval opening or socket that extends right down to the ball object at the front of the mouth. Although no comparison can be found, the object does bear similarities to 11th century sturrup terminal mounts; this object is Romanesque in style and maybe a late evolution of the 11th century type.
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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