|
Date: |
|
Description: | Description: Tiny unidentified object made from gold and originally with garnet cloisonné settings. It is roughly 'house'-shaped, and consists of a rectangular backplate forming the base, two strips of empty cloisonné cells forming the sides, and a pitched 'roof', each slope of which has two tiny empty rectangular cells. No garnets or other settings survive and the whole piece is rather battered. The baseplate measures 16.6 x 4.8 mm, and soldered to it is a piece of gold strip that runs the full length of the object in the position of a spine wall. There is a narrow slot in the centre of the baseplate which appears to have had a tab from the spine slotted into it. The cloisonné cells running the length of the object, to either side of this central spine, are made from tiny pieces of gold strip soldered to the baseplate and to the central spine. Some of these small pieces are now missing, but originally there were four square cells to either side of a central circular cell. The central strip can be seen at the bottom of these square cells, all of which are empty; it has multiple fine scratches, looking like keying for an inlay or cement. The base of the central circular cells are joined by a slightly smaller circular hole cut through the backplate, forming a central opening passing all the way through the object. The base of one of the cells is ragged and it looks as if another component had been pushed through from one side to the other.At either end of the object is a D-shaped piece of gold sheet, soldered in place to form the ends (the gable walls). The 'roof' is made from another piece of gold strip soldered to the end walls and to the central spine; this is pierced by four tiny rectangular openings, two on each slope of the roof, set longitudinally. These openings are lined with gold strip so that they form tiny cells with upright walls; these have no backplates, but open into the cells beneath, almost like skylights.Dimensions: Length: 16.6 mm. Width: 4.8 mm. Thickness: 5.3 mm. Weight: 1.3 g.Discussion: No precise parallel can be found for this object, although its general form and constructional details point towards Anglo-Saxon manufacture in the 7th century AD. There is no indication of it being broken off a larger object and, given that three of the four sides are decorated, it cannot have fitted into a recess or the cloisonné decoration would have been obscured.The circular hole through the spine wall suggests that a separate component might have been fixed through this, perhaps creating a cross shape. Crosses of this date can be of similar size; the cross pendant from the Desborough necklace is c. 20mm wide.It seems as if it was designed to be viewed with the gold 'roof' to the front, probably set with four tiny rectangular garnets; the rest of this face was probably intended to give the appearance of solid gold. The jewelled cloisonné sides would have been rather less visible, and this discreet appearance might also be thought appropriate for a cross.Date: The cloisonné decoration on this object indicates a date in the 7th century AD, probably in the first half or middle of the century.
Original Image | Publisher: | http://finds.org.uk | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Identifier: | http://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/r... | Go to resource |
|
More Like this...
-
MOUNT
Description: Gold and cloisonné garnet…
-
-
-
-
BROOCH
Gold and garnet setting. Report…
-
-
MOUNT
Description: An incomplete circular gold…
-
MOUNT
Description: An incomplete gold and…
-
STUD
An incomplete circular gold and…
-
MOUNT
Description: An incomplete early Anglo-Saxon…
|