EARLY MEDIEVAL STIRRUP

1000

The object is an Early Medieval stirrup mount. Stirrup mounts connected the leather strap of the harness to the stirrup. These mounts are thought to date to the 11th century. Williams (Williams, D. 1997 Late Saxon Stirrup Strap Mounts: A Classification and Catalogue) has produced a classification of these mounts. The recorded mount does not fit comfortably into any particular type., though the form is similar to Type 17 - cf. KENT-B18778 on this database, also attributed to this type (R Webley 27/05/13).In plan, the mount is a trapezoidal. In profile, it is a 'L' shape, with a protruding flange on the lower edge. The outer face is decorated with a moulded interlace serpent design. The head of the serpent is visible pointing downwards in the centre of the lower edge. At the tip of the upper edge, there is a rivet hole with traces of an iron rivet remaining. On the reverse, the rivet is also visible with iron corrosion. There is also iron corrosion along the lower edge flange, implying there were iron rivets here. Usually there is two iron rivets along this edge, but the drawing is unclear on this point.The mount measures 33mm long and 30mm wide. Its thickness and weight were not recorded. Nor was the surface condition.Cf. Williams (1997, 79; ref. 364) and ibid. (82; ref. 383 - for the protruding head at the base)