MEDIEVAL BUCKLE

1350

A damaged and slightly corroded cast copper-alloy medieval 'locking buckle'. The frame is rectangular in plan, with rounded corners. The outer edge is wide (c. 5.7mm), flat and rabbeted (or notched) to accept and secure a U-shaped arm attached to the pin bar: the arm only now exists partially. It also features a subtly incised central logitudinal pin rest. In profile the sides are expanded (th.: 5.0mm) to receive the off-centred pin bar; from this point they travel down to the outer edge in a curvilinear fashion. The frame has been twisted as a result of old damage. As implied, the pin bar survives in situ with the 'pin-chape' surviving around it. The latter is formed of an integrally cast rectangular element with protruding and tapering triangular pin. The rectangular element is of a thickness with the sides around the pin bar perforations. The triangular pin has been abraded such that it no longer attains the outer edge. Less than half of the curved locking arm has survived. Such buckles are well attested in the literature; recent published examples can be found illustrated in Egan 2005 (37-38; refs. 116, 117), which includes a reconstruction drawing.