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Description: | An incomplete cast copper-alloy girdle hanger of Early-Medieval/Anglo-Saxon date. The suspension loop and most of the shank survive, the remainder now missing due to old breaks. At the top of the object is a flat oval suspension loop with oval aperture, missing its upper edge due to old breaks or use wear. The terminal end of the shank is rectangular in form and section with moulded and incised zoomorphic decoration. This comprises a stylised horse head facing towards the suspension loop that has flattened rectangular nostrils/snout with incised cross saltire between transverse lines, bulging oval eyes, a raised triangular forehead and double transverse collar separating the terminal from the shank proper. The shank is oval sectioned with a slightly flattened back face that has a shallow groove at the terminal end. It is decorated on its front face by a central vertical band of alternating and opposing V-shaped punched motifs before terminating in old breaks part way down its length. The entire object has a dark green patina and measures 79.69mm in length, 7.19mm in width, 4.46mm in thickness (7.90mm including suspension loop), and 11.79g in weight. This is an incomplete copper-alloy girdle hanger of Anglo-Saxon date. Girdle hangers with complex zoomorphic terminals (stylised horse head terminals) such as the current example fall into Felder's (2009) shank neck Type I group, with parallels noted in both Norfolk and Suffolk (see Felder, 2009). It is of probable 5th century AD date, c.450-500 AD.
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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