MEDIEVAL DAGGER

1175

Medieval copper alloy sword or dagger pommel. It comprises a cast crescent-shaped rectangular-sectioned body with the horns pointing upwards, with an oval perforation in the base tapering upwards to become sub-rectangular on the upper (inner) surface of the crescent. One face is decorated with an engraved fleur-de-lis, the other face with a damaged elaborate engraving comprising a shield-shape bearing an eight-pointed star with two crescents in chief and in base (points downward) perhaps representing an escarbuncle. Vegetal curvilinear lines flank the shield. Length 30mm. Width 36mm. Thickness 13.5mm. c.1175-c.1225.This object has been published in Rogerson and Ashley (2010, 133; fig. 9.66), and has been given a c. 16th-century date, a dating now revised (above).