|
Date: |
|
Description: | Five fragments of an iron hand-bell, or perhaps several iron hand-bells. All pieces appear to be brazed with copper-alloy ((Bourke 1980; 1983).The two fragments represent both shoulders of the crown. The first is rectangular in plan, gently sloped, and with rounded sides. The face of the bell gently flares outwards. A large lump of iron corrosion is visible beneath the shoulder, and this extends 12mm above it vertically. This probably represents one end of the handle. The width of the crown is 17mm and the length is 25mm. Copper plating is visible on the exterior of the shoulder and also on the handle. Copper plating is also visible on the interior. Weight: 14.76g.The second fragment appears to be from the other shoulder of the same bell, though this cannot be confirmed for certain. The crown is rectangular in plan and measures 18mm in width and 14mm in length. A long fragment of the side of the bell survives, and this flares gently downwards. A lump of iron corrosion extends at the top of the shoulder, and this may be the remains of one end of the handle. The surface is extremely corroded, but small patches of copper alloy plating are possibly visible. Weight: 12.75g.The third fragment appears to be the lower end of the bell and includes a section of the mouth. The fragment is gently curved and the lip of the mouth is gently turned outwards. The fragment is broken along both edges; the top of the fragment appears to have been bent backwards. The exterior is very corroded with iron, but a small patch of copper-alloy plating is visible on the reverse. The fragment measures 48mm x 29mm. Weight: 16.36g.The fourth fragment appears to be from the side of the bell wall. The fragment is sub-rectangular in plan and curved in section. Most of the exterior is covered with thick iron corrosion, but where this has laminated at the base this exposes a small seam running vertically. This seam may represent the fold in the iron which would have been riveted. Copper alloy plating is visible in this area. The fragment measures 39mmx 25mm. Weight: 11.42g.The fifth fragment also appears to be from the side of the bell wall. It is sub-rectangular in plan and curved in section, and also has a ledge running vertically through the fragment. Again, copper-plating is visible where the thick iron corrosion has laminated. This fragment measures 37mm x 24mm. Weight: 11.19g.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 |
|
More Like this...
-
BELL
A fragment of an iron…
-
BELL
A fragment of an iron…
-
BELL
A fragment of an iron…
-
BELL
A probable fragment of an…
-
BELL
A fragment of an iron…
-
BELL
A small iron bell plated…
-
BELL
A complete copper alloy and…
-
BELL
An incomplete cast copper alloy…
-
MOUNT
Complete cast copper alloy hooked…
-
BROOCH
An incomplete cast copper alloy…
|