SCABBARD 596333

Description: An incomplete cast copper-alloy Frankish early medieval scabbard chape dating to the period c. AD 400 - 600. The scabbard chape is trefoliate in shape and consists of a central anthropomorphic terminal flanked by two zoomorphic terminals. Only the front plate remains and terminates in a old break at the end of the central terminal. For a complete example of similar design see HAMP-4CBF82. The central longitudinal bar terminates in a stylised human head moulded in low relief. The hair is indicated by a number of fine longitudinal incised lines and is divided from the rest of the face by a moulded transverse brow ridge which runs the width of the main terminal. The nose is trapezoidal in shape and is connected to the moulded brow ridge above in the centre of the main terminal. The eyes are indicated by two ring-and-dot motifs. The beard and mouth are sub-triangular in form an extension of the moulding which makes up the brow and nose and consists of two sets of moulded chevrons with a groove in between. Below the face the central bar is decorated with a series of three chevron shaped ridges separated by grooves. The two flanking terminals curve upwards from the centre of the main terminal and connect to either side of the face. Both flanking terminals are decorated with a zoomorphic motif of stylised wings terminating in birds heads turned inwards and resting against the main terminal, framing the human face. There are traces of incised transversegrooves along the edges of both wings, however, the decoration is very worn. Each bird's head features a circular rivet hole which would have attached the chape to the scabbard and also serves as the eye of the bird. One rivet remains intact. The reverse is undecorated. The remaining rivet is also visible on this side. It can be classified as Menghin's (1983, 126-128, 351-353) Type 3a. Cf. NCL-B0C444, HAMP-4CBF82, LEIC-7F2E18

Date: 400 - 600

Object type: SCABBARD

Last import: August 15, 2017