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Description: | A Medeival cast copper alloy enamelled heraldic harness fitting / harness hook of medieval date (1250-1400). The fitting is complete and cast in one piece; it is irregular in plan and cross section having an upper shield (or heater) shaped plate which is rectangular in cross section. This plate expands on its lower edge into a square sectioned skirt, below this a sub-hexagonal (faceted rectangle) sectioned cast and wrought hook extends. The hook retains much of its original shape being almost a closed loop. The plate section of the hook is decorated on both faces with extraordinarily fine inlaid enamel. The design created is of a large white owl with red feet sitting in an oak tree which is picked out in green coloured enamel.The same design is seen on the opposite side of the hook though more abraded. The tree is stylised and more like a large leaf with three or four stylised branches. The hook and all non-enamelled surfaces are decorated with an applied gilt surface - which is mostly worn away.The harness fitting measures: 56.6mm length 33.8mm width (across the pendant tab), 23.1m thick (across the pendant tab) 14.5mm across the collar, 7.2m across the hook. It weighs 28.2 gramsSimilar mounts can be seen in Griffith Shield shaped mounts, Finds Research Group datasheet 12, specifically example 14. Griffiths notes that (as in this example) the heraldic device is designed to be viewed vertically so the hook could not have been used to suspend the device from harness. Instead Griffith suggests that the fitting must have been slotted through a surface to provide a standing design. Steve Ashley illustrates two similar designs in his armorial catalogue of horse harness examples 152-153 (page 16-17). These are described as a three branched tree surmounted by a lion Couchant guardant argent (p51-52). There are a number of PAS examples off hooked harness fittings see: HESH-4B1357 and SWYOR-66F0E1.
Original Image | Publisher: | http://finds.org.uk | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Identifier: | https://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/ | Go to resource |
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