STRAP FITTING 215463
Description: A cast copper-alloy buckle with a bronze linking hoop and bronze swivel of the Medieval period. The buckle has an oval-shaped frame, rectangular in section, that is integrally cast to a decorated plate. There are two raised rectangles on the frame opposite the base of the pin that would have held the pin in place. The pin is incomplete, but has the remains of a flat shaft attached to a rectangular block-base, which fits into the buckle plate. The pin base has no visible hinge mechanism or attachment, and presumably would have fit into the recess and locked or clicked into place. In its current condition, the pin base fits excellently into the plate, but is (mildly) corroded and stuck in the plate. The plate itself is rectangular with a narrowing for a rectangular band followed by a full width band, creating a collar effect, followed by a triangular lobe with an oblong perforation. There is clear wear at the outside end of the perforation, indicating the general direction of 'pull' of the chain link. The underside of the buckle is undecorated. A copper-alloy link fits through the plate perforation. The chain link has no obvious seem where it was soldered. It is circular in section, and in plan it is rectangular with rounded ends. The swivel is also made from copper-alloy in two main pieces. The main piece is cast, decorated fob. It has a slightly pointed semispherical terminal. The main body of the fob has a shaft swollen in its middle and ending in collars with incised lines, creating a twisted rope effect. Below the lower collar, the shaft flares to meet the swivel loop. The fob then terminates in a conical shape on the other side of the swivel loop, decorated with incised lines leading from the base to the point. The swivel has a loop base circumspecting the fob. The base is decorated with incised cross-hatched and vertical lines. The swivel frame is similar to a buckle frame, an expanded D-shape in plan with no decoration. This object is a unique find, and is best dated by the style of the buckle and the swivel. The buckle conforms to types dated to c. 1250-1400, while the swivel probably dates to the 14th-15th century on the basis of the fob decoration and form of the buckle-like frame. Swivels are less commonly found objects, and thus the dating evidence from the style of buckle carries more weight. There is some agreement between the two elements for a 14th-century date, however. The object's function is also unknown, but swivels are often interpreted as evidence of dog leads or leashes. The wear on the buckle plate indicates that it was being pulled in a certain direction, lending strength to the idea of an animal lead, but this is not certain. The pin mechanism on the buckle, which seems to lock into place, suggests that the buckle attached to something else. Swivels, it should be noted, would be useful for any activity in which restrained but otherwise free movement was required, such as straps or harness. Therefore, the function of the object is inconclusive, but Geoff Egan of the Museum of London has suggested (tentatively) that it could be a dog lead for someone mounted, in which the buckle would attach to the owner's or handler's belt or harness, keeping the dog running alongside a rider. Total length: 110mm Length buckle: 39.47mm Width buckle frame: 22.15mm Width buckle plate: 14.53mm Thickness pin: 0.65mm Thickness buckle plate: 2.54 Length chain link: 47.81mm Thickness chain linke: 2.97mm Length swivel: 39.63mm Width swivel frame: 19.96mm Width swivel fob: 10.68mm Thickness swivel frame: 2.77mm Thickness swivel fob: 8.61mm
Date: 1300 - 1400
Object type: STRAP FITTING
Last import: August 15, 2017