STAFF 130674

Description: Copper alloy openwork finial or ferrule from a staff, probably dating to the 11th/12th-14th century. It consists of a 12mm diameter (internal 9.5mm) and slightly squashed tube, open at both ends, with an intact iron rivet running through it just above a crude incised line flanking the external end. The tube extends from a faceted openwork structure 42mm high. It has four diamond-shaped faces with one point stretched, all four of which meet at the top of the finial and are topped with a rounded knop 5mm in diameter. The opposite point of each diamond also has a rounded knop, c. 3.5mm in diameter. The diamond shapes are flat but bend slightly downwards from the horizontal line made by the two other diamond points. This creates to either side of the diamond shapes on the lower half four open triangular areas. The diamond shapes are openwork and have within them another diamond shape, this time without an elongated point. This diamond has four crudely cut openwork diamonds within it. The area between the original diamond and second diamond is V-shaped, or a triangle with the point of one fo the openwork diamonds extending into it. The four diamonds stand on a square base which surrounds the top of the open-ended tube. There is a scratch on the tube which shows the original bronze colour of the surface below. There appears to be some organic remains, or perhaps dried earth, behind the iron rivet but below the open end within the finial itself which makes it difficult to see and therefore be sure. The rod this would have attached to would be 9.5mm in diameter which suggests it may be from a staff. However it is quite light and not overly ornate (and some of the workmanship a little crude). Geoff Egan (MoLAS/ PAS) comments it may have been on the opposite end of a staff from a larger, but 'matching', finial. The London Museum Medieval Catalogue (1940) has a sword pommel of similar openwork design, but this is globular in shape and looks rather heavier. As a sword pommel this object would be too light. Nick Griffiths (Salisbury Museum) comments on the similarity in shape to church towers of the 12th century and points out staff finials of similar size are still to be found in churches today. Its length is 58.6mm and it weighs 27.96g.

Date: 1001 - 1100

Object type: STAFF

Last import: August 15, 2017