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Description: | A copper alloy unidentified object of unknown date in the form of a bird's head and beak forming a terminal. The head is three-dimensional and has recessed eyes filled with pale blue enamel. The bird's beak is moulded as two projecting curved spikes, the lower one damaged, forming an open beak. The neck of the bird is only two-dimensional and is sub-rectangular in plan with concave long edges. There are traces of incised zigzag lines perhaps representing feathers. At the base of the neck, is a projecting tab or tang, narrower than the neck. It is unclear whether this is complete or whether it was much longer originally. It is also flat in section, like the neck. This object appears to be a moulded terminal, finial or figurine head from a larger object, but no close parallel has been found. The copper alloy is fairly corroded and it is difficult to distinguish breaks from original edges. The object is 31.4mm long, 16.3mm wide and 7.3mm thick (2.2mm thick across the tang). 6.64g.It is also possible that the resemblence to a bird is fortuitous. The "beak" could be the start of an openwork frame or similar, with a moulded three-dimensional knop (the head) at the corner of a rectangular object such as a buckle. The use of blue enamel for the "eyes" is reminiscient of Limoges figurines so a Medieval date is cautiously suggested, but a Roman or later date cannot be ruled out.
Original Image | Publisher: | http://finds.org.uk | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Identifier: | https://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/ | Go to resource |
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