BOOK FITTING 511934

Description: A copper-alloy Late Early-Medieval or Early Medieval (1000-1200) zoomorphic book clasp in the form of dog's head with rectangular loop at the wider end, measuring 29.18x12.38x8.47mm and weighing 11.6g. The rectangular loop measures 12.38x7.14mm (internal 8.45x4.39mm) and is c.2mm thick. It extends from the base of the head at the back. Above, it rises to the top of the head and brow ridge (widest and thickest part, 12.38x8.47mm) where two pairs of inverted U shapes probably represent the ears and the single triangular mouldings below the eyes. The long snout in front of these is narrower and slimmer, flaring in thickness at the very end and curling slightly upwards. The reverse of the object is completely flat with a 3.93mm diameter and 5.60mm deep 'peg' hole behind the brow ridge. The side view shows a triangular hole running perpendicular to the rest of the object inside the snout. At the very end is a copper alloy wall between the 'open jaws' of the animal (the top and bottom part of the object). The snout is 7.62mm wide at the end. The clasp would have been attached to a strap on one cover of the book and the hole in the underside would have fitted over a peg fixed to the other cover. The hole in the snout may have accommodated a ring, or similar. The thought is that this may have taken a cord to make it easier to pull the clasp on and off the peg. The object bears some relationship to buckles of the 'gaping mouth beast' type (e.g. YORYM-63AF55) and also to another mysterious object, PUBLIC-EC2A87.

Date: 1000 - 1200

Object type: BOOK FITTING

Last import: September 22, 2022