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Description: | Early Medieval Irish harness mount, cast copper alloy with a gilded face bearing panels of reticulate interlace. The mount is cruciform, its four arms set around a central roundel. Each arm narrows before expanding to form a rectangular terminal. The central roundel is marked by a 20mm diameter ring which is raised above the level of the four arms. A similar raised band defines the edges of the arms. These frames are not gilded, but the gilding may have been lost from these areas. While the gilding extends up the sides of the central roundel the vertical, outer edges of the mount appear not to have been gilded. In the centre of the central roundel is a smaller raised ring surrounding a domed projection with a small hole in its centre. This smaller ring will have contained setting, perhaps of glass, amber or enamel. The interlace consists of narrow bands, standing proud of the surface on which they lie. The pattern is non-zoomorphic and repeats in all four arm panels and forms a ring around the central stud. On the back of the mount are the truncated remains of three integral mounting lugs set parallel to the arms of the cross. These have been cut off, leaving stubs. Holes have been drilled through the ends of two opposed arms of the cross. These are slightly off centre and probably represent reuse of the mount. They appear to contain the remains of iron nails.This object is clearly an Irish type being paralleled by cross-shaped harness mounts in the hoard from near Navan, Co. Meath (Youngs, 1989, page 117-8, No. 113). Stylistically, the interlace in 'chip carved' style can be compared to that seen on Irish mounts from Soma Farm, Høyland, Sandes, Rogaland, Norway (Youngs, 1989, page 118, No. 114 a-e). Parallels exist on the PAS database, in particular the find from Somerton, Oxfordshire (BERK-E067E3). These items of Irish metalwork may represent to presence of Irish soldiers in the Viking armies and represent decorative but relatively low value items of harness mounts which were often modified for reuse. This will originally have functioned as a strap union on a bridle but its cruciform shape also gives it a Christian significance. The only manufacturing evidence comes from County Meath in Ireland but such pieces could have been made in Scottish Dalriada in northern Britain. Width 38mm, Height 38mm, Thickness 3mm. Photography courtesy of the owner.Find of note statusThis is a find of note and has been designated: Include in MedArch
Original Image | Publisher: | http://finds.org.uk | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Identifier: | https://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/ | Go to resource |
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