EARLY MEDIEVAL UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT

850

Unidentified object made from copper alloy. It consists of a shield-shaped piece of copper-alloy sheet, with one edge straight and the other edges curving to a point. It is not flat, but slightly curved along the length of the straight edge. In the centre is a neat circular hole 4 mm in diameter. The front is decorated with radiating lines; although the object is corroded, these lines look as if they may have been made by rocking an engraving tool from side to side. This technique is characteristic of the late Anglo-Saxon period, and the metal used (now a rough light brown) is also common then; it is quite possible, however, that it is also of later (perhaps much later) date.