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Description: | An incomplete Late Iron Age copper alloy object, probably dating to the 1st century BC or 1st century AD. The object is Y-shaped, with the two upper arms broken close to the junction. There is an intricate moulded design on the object that appears to resemble a horse head. There are two large flared nostrils at the spherical base, formed by two pellets surrounded by curved ridges. A rivet hole appears to go through the object at the point just below the nostrils with part of the rivet visible on the back. Above the nostrils is a pointed ridge. Just below the junction are two spherical nodules which seem to represent eyes. There are two pointed nodules directly on the other side the eyes. Along the side of the object, roughly half-way, are two further pellets. As well as the moulded decoration, there is an engraved design, predominantly in the form of stippling, that runs in between the ridges and contours of the object as shading.Kevin Leahey pointed out that the shape is somewhat similar to a Late Iron Age scabbard chape found at South Cave (2003, Humber Field Archaeology) in Yorkshire. However, there is no evidence of grooving within the arms of the object, which would indicate the scabbard plate attachment.An alternative identification was that the object was a brooch. Similar bifurcated brooches from the Iron Age are seen in the Navan tradition of Ireland, though none of the brooches are as elaborately decorated as this example. Furthermore, none have a perforation at the foot end and no evidence of either pin or catch-plate are found on this example.The most likely interpretation for the function of the object is that it is a fitting for a vessel, probably a flagon or ewer. The stepped terminal would have fitted onto the shoulder of the vessel and attached by a rivet through the perforation. Many bifurcated handles with similar decoration have been found that date to the Late Iron Age, several of which are in the British Museum (cf. 1982,0103.120).In terms of style, there are many well documented zoomorphic vessel fittings, such as the Harpenden rams (Jope, 2000, 266, pl 170) or the Ham Hill Bull (Megaw and Megaw, 1989, 223, fig. 372). Although the nostrils on the Ham Hill bull are very similar (being formed of crescentic ridges) the design of this object is not quite the same as these examples. Parallels for the engraved decoration that appears to be shading can be found on continental Iron Age metalwork and British metalwork alike. The plastic style decoration is also represented in Britain and the continent, though in the early Roman period in Britain this style flourishes. Therefore, dating the object is difficult without further context.Dimensions: length: 49.65 mm; width: 23.34 mm; thickness: 15.68 mm; weight: 36.30g.Reference:Humber Field Archaeology. 2003.A late Iron age Weapons cache from East Yorkshire: Assessment Report.http://www.eastriding.gov.uk/culture/museums/collections/detail.php?type=related&kv=256&t=publicationsJope, M. 2000. Early Celtic Art of the British Isles. Oxford: Clarendon.Megaw, R and Megaw, V. 1989. Celtic Art. London: Thames and Hudson.
Original Image | Publisher: | http://finds.org.uk | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Identifier: | https://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/ | Go to resource |
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