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Description: | A post-Medieval cast copper-alloy 'S'-shaped strap or belt fastener (c. 1575-c. 1800).The fastener has two swan or serpent head terminals with necks that curve to form hooks. Each head has a finely moulded beak/mouth and eyes. The necks narrow below the heads before expanding towards the centre of the fastener. At the centre, on both faces, there is a moulded boss. These bosses may represent flower heads. Adjacent to each boss is a fluted collar. Attached to one of the hooks is a misshapen wire copper-alloy ring which has a maximum diameter of 10.5mm.The object, including the ring, is in fair condition and the surfaces are brown with traces of gilding.Length: 37.02mm; width: 13.91mm; thickness: 5.79mm. Weight: 8.48g.S-shaped 'snake belt' fasteners were probably associated with sword belts in the 17th and 18th centuries and parallels can be seen in Bailey's (1997) Detector Finds 3: 21-22. The examples with swan heads are widely considered to be late 16th to 17th century (Geake 2001: 35). Fasteners with snake heads continue in use on military and boys belts well into the 20th century.
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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