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Description: | A complete copper alloy Harness Pendant with incomplete pendant hanger of the Medieval Period, dating from AD 1250 - AD 1400.The pendant is "heater" shield-shaped type (with sides sloping steeply to a point at the base). On the flat edge is a integrally cast suspension loopp set at a right angle to the pendant angled forwards, the suspension loop is complete and has a suspension lug attached. The lug has a hemispherical body with a large integrally cast lug or rivet at the centre of the back face, the base of the body extends a double oval shaped lug that is pierced by an iron bar. This holds the pendant in place and allows it to swing. The main design on the pendant itself depicts a lion rampant (with front paws raised) facing left. There are traces of red enamel on the surface surrouding the lion and traces of gilding on the lion itself. There is a shield shaped border surrounding the design. The heraldic term for this is 'Or a lion rampant sinister gules'. The pendant measures 51.0 mm in length including the attachments and 32.3 mm in length when not. It is 24.3 mm wide. It has a thickness of 3.2 mm and the attachment has a thickness of 3.8 mm. It weighs 11.1 g. The pendant is a dark green to brown in colour and has an uneven patina. Traces of red enamel can be seen on the surface and traces of guilding are present on the lion. Abrasion caused by movement whilst within the plough soil has resulted in the loss of some of the original surface detail. Other examples of this type of pendant have been recorded on the database including CORN-248995, KENT-06E79D and GLO-53010D.As commented on in this record - CORN-248995:The rampant lion is one of the most common heraldic devices, and the coat of arms could therefore belong to a wide variety of families. For example, if the colours are red and gold then the arms could be 'Or a lion rampant gules' which could be the arms of the Earls of Arundel. Richard FitzAlan, the 8th Earl of Arundel (1267-1301) used a lion rampant on his seal (Cherry in Saunders, 1991, 19). The FitzAlan family had come from Brittany and Richard was feudal Lord of the Welsh Marches, so Cornwall fits neatly between the two.Read (2001) illustrates a similar harness pendant with a charge of a red enamelled lion rampant facing left on a gilt field, on page 53, fig.32, no.411, which is dated from the 14th century.Cherry in Saunders (1991), illustrate a similar harness pendant with a red enamelled rampant lion facing left, on page 24, fig.1, no.3, which is dated from the 14th century.
Original Image | Publisher: | http://finds.org.uk | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Identifier: | https://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/ | Go to resource |
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