MEDIEVAL PURSE

1450

Partly curved fragment of copper-alloy purse frame, L-shaped in cross-section. One arm of the L has visible filemarks on its outer face, and two circular holes for sewing the fabric of the purse to it. The holes are 40 mm apart and 2 mm in diameter. The other arm of the L has engraved decoration on its outer face. First comes some scrolly lines forming an abstract pattern; this occupies the curved part. The word HONOR is then engraved along the straight part; the N is retrograde. There is a small triangular stop after the R and then the start of another letter (a horizontal at the bottom of the space) which cannot be identified. The lettering is the right way up when the frame is held with the right-angled arm of the L to the bottom. A small amount of niello (black silver sulphide) inlay survives in some of the engraving. I do not know of a parallel to this inscription; most inscriptions on purse frames are religious, e.g. AVE MARIA GRACIA PLENA (Hail Mary Full of Grace) or DOMINVS TECVM (The Lord be with you), so this one also probably had a religious ending.