MEDIEVAL HARNESS PENDANT

1100

A complete copper-alloy horse harness pendant suspension mount, which has been created from one piece of copper-alloy sheet. Consisting of a circular disc, four perforated lugs and a central folded projection in the centre of its lower edge. The disc of this pendant suspension mount measures 29.8mm in diameter, however including its lugs and folded projection (to which the missing pendant would have been attached) it is 44mm in total width and 37.54mm in length. There are two pairs of circular perforated lugs on either side of the circular disc, one of the lugs has an in situ copper-alloy rivet through its central perforation, the rivets are now missing from the other three. These rivets would jave originally held the pendant suspension mount onto a harness strap. Projecting from the centre of the lower edge of the pendant suspension mount there is a rectangle of folded sheet copper-alloy, with a longitudinal rectangular slot cut through it. The rounded terminal of this sheet has been folded back sharply and appears to be soldered to the back face of the pendant suspension mount as a light grey lead-like material can be seen between the sheet and the back face of the mount. The remains of a corroded iron horizontal bar can be seen within the fold, the missing pendant would have hung from this bar. The front face of this harness suspension mount is decorated with a small central circular boss with a circular indentation in its centre. An eight pointed star radiates from this central point. In the field surrounding the star there are many tiny circular indentaions, apparently arranged at randomn to fill all avaliable space. There is then a boarder groove. The whole front face is gilded, including the projecting lugs. This decorative design, of a star radiating from a central boss is also seen on pendants and pendant suspension mounts from Cambridgeshire and parallels are known on examples of shield decoration common on equestrian seals from the mid 12th century (Ashley 2002, 7). Steven Ashley (2002, 6-7, fig 6), suggests that the design is likely to have a symbolic meaning, as when depicted on horse furntiure in particular it bears some resemblance to the comet (minus tail) shown in the Bayeux Tapestry. This comet first appeared in 1066 for a week. He states that it was linked to the Norman conquest in contemporary imagination and suggests that it seems likely that it was retained in Anglo-Norman folk memory as a signifier of good fortune and was therefore a popular choice for the decoration of shields and harness. The style and decorative device on this harness suspension mount date it to the medieval period, and more specifically to the 12th and early 13th centuries.