EARLY MEDIEVAL STRAP FITTING

1000

A V- or U-shaped copper-alloy strap-end terminating in a (damaged) hook at the point of the 'V'. The worn front of the fitting has an engraved Ringerike-style design around the curve of the U, with an animal head occupying each arm. The animals are identical, with with a double-grooved collar at the neck, elliptical eyes and a wide gaping mouth clasping each arm of the object. The upper terminals of the two arms are shaped like fleurs-de-lis and are each also embellished with Ringerike-style engraving. The square heads of two separate copper-alloy rivets, one in each terminal, show clearly on the front of the object and on the reverse. The hook has a moulding at its top.Similar designs to this can be seen on stirrup strap mounts (Williams 1997) of the early 11th to early 12th century, and other types of horse-harness fitting.