EARLY MEDIEVAL MOUNT

720

Treasure ref. 2005 T551: a silver mount of 8th or 9th century date. The mount is formed of a trapezoidal strip with six rivet holes along its perimeter, two of which contain traces of iron rivets. The face of the mount is decorated with a tight, net-like, non-zoomorphic interlace, which is rather worn. The object is damaged and rolled over at the wider end, where it is decorated with three conjoined ovals, the outer ones pierced by two of the rivet holes. The broad-stranded interlace is comparable with patterns appearing, for example, on Insular pre-Conquest sculpture and the mount is perhaps from a book or box, although no close parallel can be suggested at present.Non-destructive X-ray fluorescence analysis of the mount conducted at the British Museum indicated a silver content of at least 59%, the balance being copper; it weighs 4.98 grams.