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Description: | A fragment of an iron hand-bell (Bourke 1980; 1983). Only part of the crown and a fragment of the face survive. The surviving part is from the top of the bell, comprising the corner of the crown and extending approximately half to two-thirds along the crown. The crown is quadrangular in plan with gently rounded shoulders. a mass of iron corrosion is visible on the underside at the corner, and projecting from this mass is a small shank of circular section, representing the remains of the suspension loop for the clapper. The bell is highly corroded and much of the surface has laminated. No evidence of copper plating is visible.The crown measures 81mm x 33mm x 23mm. The weight is 50.08g. The original size of the bell is uncertain, but extrapolation of the crown suggests it could have been as large as 115mm wide and 190mm tall.Copper-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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