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Description: | A probable fragment of an iron hand-bell plated with copper-alloy using the 'fusion-plating process' (Bourke 1980; 1983). Only part of the crown and a fragment of one corner survive. The surviving part of the crown appears to be from the corner. It is flat, and appears to have been quadrangular in plan. The surviving face gently flares outwards to the break below. The surface is heavily corroded, and a thick layer of iron is visible on the top and the underside of the crown, perhaps indicating where the handle loop was fitted. Patches of copper alloy plating are visible on the exterior and the interior. The crown measures 42mm x 19mm x 19mm. The weight is 11.43gCopper-brazed iron bells of quadrangular form originated in Ireland in the 7th century, and continued in production until the 10th century (Bourke 1980: 55-61). Larger braized hand-bells are well known in Ireland where many have been discovered on monastic sites dating between 600 and 900 (Bourke 1980). Indeed, one such site at Clonfad, Co. Westmeath has provided evidence for the production of copper-brazed iron hand-bells (Stevens 2010). Those known from Scotland - which are also assigned a 7th or 8th century date - are attributed to the influence of the Irish church but have a greater size range, from 60mm to 326mm tall (Bourke 1983: 464).
Original Image | Publisher: | http://finds.org.uk | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Identifier: | https://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/ | Go to resource |
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