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pdf document on Saxon stirrup moints Class A Type 11a

 

 

Late Early Medieval (Anglo-Saxon) damaged and incomplete cast copper alloy stirrup strap mount of Williams Class A type 10B.

Only the lower half of the mount survives. The design is an openwork Urnes style interlaced animal. There is a stepped flange on the reverse of the mount running parallel to the lower edge of the main body. The rivet holes are located in the flange, rather than on the main body of the mount.

In its current condition, the mount is 27.23mm long, 29.31mm wide, 3.76mm thick, increasing to 11.89mm to include the flange. It weighs 9.85 grams.

 

late Early Medieval (Anglo-Saxon) cast copper alloy stirrup strap mount of Williams class A type 11.

The main body of the mount is triangular, with the two side edges being slightly convex. There is a trefoil terminal at the apex of the mount containing a rivet hole; the hole is slightly off centre, probably due to wear on the right hand side of the terminal. The main body of the mount has a cast design of a left facing lion (sometimes interpreted as a wolf), looking upwards with one front paw raised and a tail curled over its back. Below this design is an undecorated area containing a further two circular rivet holes, one of which is filled with corrosion products. There is a short flange projecting at a right angle from the lower edge of the mount, running between the positions of the lower rivet holes.The reverse of the mount is plain and undecorated. The metal is red-brown in colour with several patches of light green corrosion.

The mount is 47.56mm long, 29.25mm wide, 5.35mm thick, increasing to 9.84mm thick at the flange. It weighs 26.54 grams.

Very unuusal thick cast decorated c10thC Saxon stirrup mount

 

 

 

 

ESS-BFD910 UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT

 

c10thC stirrup strap mount

Chronology

Broad period: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 850
Date to: Circa AD 1066

Dimensions and weight

Length: 20.26 mm
Width: 18.27 mm
Thickness: 2.73 mm
Weight: 4.5 g
Quantity: 1

 

c10thC Saxon stirrup alloy terminal - Class A type 1

ESS-9293B1 STIRRUP

 

Class: Strap Mount
Sub class: Williams Class A type 1

Chronology

Broad period: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Period from: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Period to: MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 1000
Date to: Circa AD 1100

 

Saxon stirrup strap mount - top fixing Type 2A

Similar to a design found at Swafield Norfolk

 

Saxon bridal mounts

ESS-C0C3D5 HARNESS FITTING

 

 

Chronology

Broad period: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Period from: EARLY MEDIEVAL Date from: Circa AD 950
Date to: Circa AD 1100

 

Late Early Medieval (Anglo-Scandinavian) cast copper alloy incomplete cheek piece from a harness fitting. The fragment comprises a flat plate formed by a late Viking-inspired creature, its body curving to create ares of openwork. The incised lines of the creature's body including its oval eyes can be clearly seen. Most of one side is missing. The centrally-placed projecting arm for attachment to the leather harness strap is also missing and there are worn breaks. There are three semi-circular knops on the outer edge. The fragment is 48.6mm long, 36.98mm wide, 3.82mm thick and weighs 26.7 grams.

For similar examples see Finds Research Group datasheet 39.

Saxon Stirrup terminal

Early Medieval 11th century

Saxon Stirrup terminal

Early Medieval 11th century

Fragment of a late Early Medieval (Anglo-Saxon) to early Medieval cast copper alloy harness fitting, dating circa AD 1000 to 1150.

Only an openwork loop survives. It is lozengeform with a central circular opening. There is a slight swelling at three of the corners, on the fourth corner there is an incomplete rectangular projecting arm. The loop would have been part of a larger object used to attach leather straps.

The fitting is a reddish-brown in colour with some of the original surface survivng, with a dark brown patina.

The surviving section of the fitting is 31.11mm long and weighs 8.44 grams. The loop is 26.18mm wide, 4.29mm thick. The survivng section of the arm is 9.39mm wide and 4.42mm thick.

Incomplete late Early Medieval (Anglo-Saxon) to early Medieval cast copper alloy harness fitting, dating circa AD 1000 to 1150.

This artefact is a strap distributor, formed of a central lozengeform section with a domed circular boss. The reverse of the boss is slightly hollow. There is a projecting arm from each corner of the lozenge; the arms are sub-rectangular with concave sides. Each arm terminates in an incomplete loop which would have secured leather straps.

The fitting measures 36.60mm by 37.69mm and weighs 19.62 grams. The central boss measures 13.36mm in diameter and is 15.24mm thick. The arms are an average of 5.72mm wide and 3.70mm thick.

Incomplete late Early Medieval (Anglo-Saxon) to early Medieval cast copper alloy harness fitting. This is an Anglo-Scandinavian design and dates from circa AD 1000 to 1150.

This artefact is a strap distributor, formed of a central lozengeform section with a domed circular boss. The reverse of the boss is hollow. There is a projecting arm from each corner of the lozenge; the arms are sub-rectangular with concave sides and have a shallow 'D' shaped cross section. There are two arms with worn breaks across them. The other two arms are complete and terminate in an incomplete loop. The incomplete loops would have been lozengeform with a central openwork circle. Only about one third of each loop survives. These loops would have been used to secure leather straps.

The fitting measures 59.44mm by 37.99mm and weighs 24.3 grams. The central lozenge measures 19.44 mm by 18.98mm, with the boss measuring 9.85mm in diameter and 15.3 mm thick. The arms are an average of 5.34mm wide and 5.12mm thick. The first incomplete loop measures 10.64mm wide, 15.7long and 3.89mm thick, and the second incomplete loop measures 8.61mm wide, 11.66mm long and 4.71mm thick.

The object has It has a reddish brown patina and is almost completely covered with light green corrosion product.

cf Williams, D 'Anglo-Scandinavian Horse Harness Fittings', Datasheet 39 of the Finds Research Group, page 5, f

Early Medieval damaged and incomplete cast copper alloy girdle hanger. The lower, openwork rectangular section survives, with a worn break where the arm and suspension loop would have been located. There are two openwork rectangles with a central bar. There are damaged and incomplete knops at the upper corners and two pairs of small triangular knops located on the lower edge located below each of the rectangular openings. The outer edges of the object and the edges of the triangular openings are bordered by small triangular punches. The reverse is plain and undecorated.

It is 35.30mm long, 27.08mm wide, 3.22mm thick and weighs 9.13 grams. The open work rectangles are 13mm long, 5mm wide.

A cast copper alloy incomplete Early Medieval strap end. This is a Thomas Class A type dating from circa AD 800-950. What remains is the zoomorphic terminal and the lower part of the plate. There is a worn break one third up the plate where the rest of the plate and the attachment end has broken off. The terminal consists of the head of an animal with a flat nose, cast large oval depressions for eyes, and prominent ears. Above the head the plate flares out to form what would have been convex sides. The centre of the plate is not solid but open. There are engraved spirals up the sides. The reverse is plain and flat. The object has a reddish brown patina which appears to be rust. There are patches of light green corrosion product on the abraded areas. Length 31.12mm, width 14.12mm, thickness 5.62mm, weight 8g.

cf Thomas, G ' Late Anglo-Saxon and Viking-Age strap-ends 750-1100, Part 1', pages 2-3, Class A

A late Early Medieval copper alloy strap end circa AD 850-1100. A long strap end, triangular in plan. The pointed end has bent round towards the reverse but this is probably accidental. The attachment end is split and there is one rivet hole which may still contain remnants of the copper alloy rivet, however the hole is filled with corrosion product. The object is decorated with some punched holes around the rivet hole and three cast horizontal ridges; one above the hole and two below. The patina is reddish brown with some light green corrosion product concentrated on the reverse. Length 28.94mm, maximum width 6.8mm, thickness 2.78mm, weight 1.8g.

 

ESS-9E4FB2 STRAP END

 

2010 T167 Early Medieval strap end

Date of Discovery: 12th March 2010

Circumstances of discovery: Whilst searching with a metal detector.

Description: Early-Medieval Thomas Class A Type 1 strap end, cast in high tin copper alloy. The strap end is sub-rectangular in plan and rectangular in profile, increasing in thickness towards the terminal. There are two circular rivet holes at the split end; the copper alloy rivets survive but have become detached. The upper surface is decorated with a stylized foliate design, similar to the 'speckled fruiting plant' seen in Thomas (2003) figure 1.3. The terminal depicts a stylised animal head, with two large sub-rectangular 'ears' still visible, the remainder of the head is worn, however there are two slightly raised areas to either side that would have represented the eyes. The reverse of the strap end is plain undecorated. It is 36.18mm long, measures 10.66mm across the widest point, has a maximum thickness of 2.71mm and weighs 2.52 grams.

Date: Anglo-Saxon strap ends date from 740-1100AD, peaking in the 9th century. It is likely that this example is of 9th century date.

Disposition: Not Treasure. The finder reported this as treasure believing it to be silver. However, the strap end does not contain a minimum of 10% precious metal and therefore falls outside the stipulations of the Treasure Act 1996.

Laura McLean Finds Liaison Officer, Essex Colchester & Ipswich Museum Service April 2010

References: Thomas, G. (2003) Late Anglo-Saxon and Viking-age strap-ends 750-1100. Parts 1 and 2. Finds Research Group 700-1700