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Description: | An incomplete enamelled copper alloy heraldic horse harness pendant, of Medieval dating (AD 1250 to AD 1340).The pendant is a quatrefoil shape, with triangular knops in each angle. The suspension loop is set at right angles to the body of the pendant. The front of the pendant exhibits heraldic decoration consisting of three lion ramparts, with red enamel behind, all contained within a shield shape. Around the shield, blue enamel shapes are present. Traces of gilding are present on the bodies of the lions and by the side of the blue enamel shapes. The reverse is undecorated. The heraldry can probably be described as: three lions passant guardant; red enamel surviving on the ground around the lions. Area around the shield bears three Romanesque wyverns enamelled in blue, one either side of the shield with tails touching below it and one above. It measures 35.5 mm in length, 24.9 mm wide and 7.6 mm thick. It weighs 7.1 g.The harness pendant is a mid green colour, with an even surface patina. Abrasion, caused by movement whilst within the plough soil, has resulted in a loss of some of the original surface detail.Several similar harness pendants have been recorded on the PAS database, including: IHS-1224c6; YORYM-961844; SOM-6AB075; DENO-CDF6F6; GLO-046716; and KENT-169846. All are considered to be Medieval in dating (AD 1250 to AD 1340). Irene Szymanski commented on IHS-1224C6 that: "The arms on the central shield are England Ancient (gules, three lions passant guardant in pale or), which were in use until approximately 1340. This is an alternative, probably earlier, version of two similar pieces (22 [IHS-11E882]-22a [IHS-120BF5]) bearing three fleurs-de-lys on a blue ground around the shield. Whereas the other pieces may have alluded to Franco-English relations, the beasts on this piece have no such significance and can be found around other coats of arms, e.g., Arundel (IHS-669958, IHS-66C0F6)."
Original Image | Publisher: | http://finds.org.uk | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Identifier: | https://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/ | Go to resource |
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