The material discussed in this chapter comprises a very extensive range of brooches, strap-ends, hooked tags, buckles and belt fittings, jewellery, toilet implements, medical items, pins and combs. The bulk of the metal objects were made of copper alloy or iron; but, a few of the items are made of silver. In addition, glass, lead alloys, enamels, and various inlays and coatings have also been used in composite items. None of these items was made solely of gold, but gilding is present on a number of objects. The various finishing techniques used on many of the non-ferrous objects are discussed in detail in this chapter. Two reworked hooked tags hint at on-site production, which may also complement the other evidence for non-ferrous metalworking at this site (see Chapter 11, below).
Dress accessories and personal items in bone and antler were represented by a substantial collection of combs, and forty-one of the pins. Whilst the soil conditions were not very favourable towards the preservation of many organic materials, one wooden bead did survive. [For solitary examples of a glass bead, see Chapter 2, and a possible bone bead, Chapter 5.7.]
The importance of such dress and personal items in the life of the inhabitants of the Middle and Later Anglo-Saxon settlement is reflected in the fact that the catalogue entries presented here represent just over 8.7% of the entire Recorded Finds assemblage recovered from the site. [For the comparable material for other periods in the life of this site, the reader is referred to Chapter 14.]
***
1.1 Brooches
by Nicola Rogers, John Hines, Patrick Ottaway, Jennifer Jones and Ian Panter
Non-ferrous metal brooches
by Nicola Rogers, with a contribution by
John Hines, Jennifer Jones and Chris Loveluck
Safety-pin brooches (FIG. 1.1)
Eight copper alloy brooches (cat. nos 13–20) and one silver (no. 21: RF 10994) are of a form now termed ‘safety-pin’, alluding to their similarity to modern day safety-pins; a ninth copper alloy brooch (no. 22: RF 11935) is possibly of this type. This is a relatively rare brooch form, only recently established as a Saxon type (White 1988, 40); the ten found at Flixborough represent the largest group recovered from any Saxon site. Made in one piece, the head of the brooch is coiled once to form the sprung pin which is held securely at the other end by a looped-up catch. The design of these brooches allows little scope for varying the shape of the flat bow, which tends to be lozenge-shaped (see no. 14: RF 1968), or an elongated oval (see no. 15; RF 11043). Decoration on the bow is limited to ring-and-dot motifs (see nos 15 and 17: RFs 11043 and 12750), simple incised lines (see no. 16; RF 11595), or notches (see no. 20; RF 14425); the silver pin (no. 21; RF 10994) is plain, apart from the animal-head shaped tip of the catch loop. All the brooches appear lightweight, and White suggests that as four brooches have been found in female burials in the area of the hip, this type may have acted as a fastening for undergarments or girdles (op. cit., 41).
This brooch form appears to be based on a prehistoric type, described by Hattatt as the ‘violin bow brooch’ which he considers Bronze Age in origin (Hattatt 1989, 4), and in which classification he included examples now more likely to be interpreted as Saxon (op. cit., fig. 1, nos 1385–6). Hull and Hawkes considered other examples to be Iron Age, including two found at Whitby which Peers and Radford had suggested were Saxon copies of Bronze Age examples (1943, 58, fig. 12, nos 4, 12); Hull and Hawkes interpreted the Whitby brooches as repaired or altered Iron Age brooches (1987, 141–2, pl. 41, nos 7264–5). White identified three brooches as ‘Anglo-Saxon bow brooches’, which he noted were a previously unrecognised late 6th–7th century group, and included an example from Uncleby, East Yorks. (White 1988, 40–1, fig. 22, no. 3). None of the Flixborough brooches closely resembles those published by White, but other brooches which are similar have been found in Saxon contexts, including one found on or just above the floor of a Grubenhaus at Mucking (Hamerow 1993, 61, fig. 105, no. 2), and another found in a Middle–Late Saxon assemblage at Sedgeford, Norfolk (Cooke et al. 1997, 35). In the light of these examples, it seems likely that the Whitby brooches are also in fact Saxon, and should post-date the establishment of that site in 657AD – though as they were unstratified, they could date to any part of the occupation of the Saxon monastery between the mid 7th and the 10th centuries. Chris Loveluck comments that whilst much of the literature on these brooches places the early types in the 7th century, the vast majority of the examples now known are thought to date to the 8th and 9th centuries. The stratified examples from Flixborough (nos 13–16 and 21; RFs 3181, 1968, 11595, 11043 and 10994) all come from late 8th/early 9th century to late 9th/early 10th-century deposits, and thus appear to confirm this 8th–9th century date range. It is interesting to note that the animal-head shaped tip to the catch on no. 21 (RF 10994) is repeated on at least two other objects from the site – on the pin of buckle no. 115 (RF 3036), and the catch of the disc brooch (no. 25; RF 5467).
FIG. 1.2. Great square-headed brooch, small-long brooch, disc brooch and annular brooch. Scale 1:1.
Great square-headed brooch
(no. 23: RF 6. FIG. 1.2; PL. 1.1)
by John Hines incorporating a note on the graffito by
Chris Loveluck, and on the EDXRF analysis by
Jennifer Jones
The great square-headed brooch from Flixborough belongs to group XVII of the Anglo-Saxon great square-headed brooch series according to the current classification (Hines 1997, esp. 133–41). This group is made up of brooches of a relatively uniform type, of which 18 examples are now known. The majority of these have been found in East Anglia, but more northerly outliers, such as this example, have been found at Market Overton, Rutland (Leics.), Ruskington (Lincs.), Londesborough (E. Yorks.) and Thornborough Pasture, near Catterick (N. Yorks.). The group is placed in Phase 3 of the square-headed brooch series, a phase for which a date-range of manufacture between c.530 and 570 is proposed.
The Flixborough brooch is an interesting example in several respects. The backward-facing animal in the headplate inner panel is clearer, more detailed, and more coherent than a related design found on several other brooches in this group. It is conceivable that the Flixborough example is particularly close in design to the prototype for the group, but it does not correspond in sufficient detail to the designs on the other brooches for this to be really demonstrable. The backward-facing animal design seems ultimately to be of Scandinavian origin (Leigh 1984), although by the time the Flixborough brooch was made it had spread widely, to Kent and on the Continent (FIG. 1.2: cat. no. 23).
The second especially unusual feature of the Flixborough brooch is its long, slender bow, sharply angled in cross-section. Such bows are very rare amongst Anglo-Saxon square-headed brooches, although similarly long, slender and angled bows are common in Scandinavia and on Continental brooches derived from Scandinavian models. Group XVII brooch bows are in fact characteristically very short and squat. The large, outspread animal in the footplate inner panel of most group XVII brooches, Flixborough included, can also be traced back to Scandinavian sources, and it seems possible that the Flixborough example has somehow preserved more of its Scandinavian ancestry than other brooches of the group have. The full range of cultural connections of the Humberside and Northumbrian areas in the mid 6th century, both to the south within England, and across the North Sea, are, however, too complex to justify brief speculation on what exactly the Flixborough brooch might signify in these terms.
A rather unusual feature is the inscribed graffito, possibly of a wolf, on the back of the brooch (FIG. 1.2: no. 23). This too can be paralleled on a contemporary Norwegian square-headed brooch (Hines 1997, fig. 69h–i), and similar animals occur incised on 6th-century Anglian English cremation urns (Myres 1977, 65–6 and figs 364–5). It is impossible, though, to be certain that this motif was present when the brooch was being worn. The object was recovered as an unstratified find, in the area of the Mid to Late Anglo-Saxon settlement remains, having been disturbed from nearby 5th- to 6th-century deposits or kept in residual use from the Early Anglo-Saxon period as scrap copper alloy. With the contemporary parallels, it seems most likely that the graffito had some meaning for its 6th-century wearer. It might nevertheless have been the idle graffito of a Mid to Late Anglo-Saxon occupant of the settlement.
Jennifer Jones comments that this copper alloy brooch is of particular interest amongst the gilded objects from the site, with gilding visible, mainly in protected areas, on the decorated front surface. This object is largely complete, missing only the foot and the pin. Extensive surface EDXRF analysis was done before and after corrosion removal at 10 sites on the front and back of the brooch. The base alloy was found to be a leaded bronze, with very low levels of zinc detected at some analysis sites. The central front decorated panel had gold detected at 50%, but gold was also detected quite strongly (>17%) in decorated areas where none was visible, and on the undecorated lobes. This would suggest that the whole front of the brooch was originally gilded. The gilding of the large round footplate lobes of group XVI and XVII great square-headed brooches, which in most areas are covered with thick silver-foil appliqués, would now appear to be a distinctive characteristic of the Humberside area. What EDXRF analysis has discovered on the Flixborough specimen is visibly matched on group XVI brooches from Laceby (N.E. Lincs.), and Welbeck Hill grave 41 (N.E. Lincs.). As this technique can reveal gilding no longer detectable by eye, it would be informative also to test a group XVII brooch from Thornborough Pasture near Catterick (N. Yorks.) by this means – a brooch that otherwise appears neither gilded nor silvered.
Gold was detected at low levels (<2%) on the brooch back, but mercury was not reliably detected at any site on the brooch surface (cf. Hines 1997, 205–22 and 313–15; Brownsword and Hines 1993). Along the edges of remaining areas of gilding, a distinct copper-coloured layer can be seen between the gold layer on top and the base alloy beneath, when viewed through the microscope. This suggests the possible use of some form of diffusion gilding, involving the application of a gold/copper alloy to the heated bronze substrate, perhaps with subsequent pickling with acidic mixtures to remove copper from the alloy at the surface; however, parallels for the use of this technique during this period have been very difficult to find.
Small-long brooch (FIG. 1.2)
The head fragment of a small-long brooch (cat. no. 24: RF 2557) was found in an unstratified context; it appears to fall into E. T. Leeds’ (1945) cross-potent head class. He noted that these brooches, which have been found in great numbers in Early Saxon cemeteries, had a wide, rather northerly, distribution across England, with examples from as far north as South Ferriby, North Lincolnshire, south to Sarre, Kent (op. cit., 14, fig. 9; Sheppard 1907, 262, pl. XXX, nos 2–4). More recently, regional studies have indicated the recovery of these brooches from numerous cemeteries in and around Lindsey (Leahy 1993a, 39–42), while an overview of small-long brooches from Suffolk noted that both cross potent and cross pattée types were strongly linked to Cambridgeshire, the Midlands, and Lincolnshire (West 1998, 299). Dating as this object does to the 6th century, it clearly pre-dates the earliest structures on the site, although its worn state may indicate that the brooch was of some age when it was buried.
In the local surrounding area, Leahy has noted finds of small-long brooches from: Barton-upon-Humber, Brocklesby, Fillingham, Fonaby, Caistor, Horncastle, Irby upon Humber, Keelby, Louth, ?Thimbleby, and Waddington (1993a, Appendix A).
Disc brooch (FIG. 1.2; PL. 1.2)
A gilded silver disc brooch (cat. no. 25: RF 5467), complete apart from its pin, was found in a Phase 4ii dump. Although this deposit is dated to the mid-9th century, it contained a number of residual and reworked 8th- and earlier 9th-century finds, plus a less diverse range but greater quantity of mid-9th century date; no. 25 represents one of the residual pieces. A double border surrounds two confronted long-necked quadrupeds, enmeshed in deeply cut chip-carved irregular interlace, which winds around their legs and through their mouths. Backs arched, their chests and squared-off noses touch, and their bodies are speckled, the triangular speckles produced by a punching tool with a sharp corner. Although missing, the pin was made integrally with the brooch, and the tip of the hooked catch has been shaped to form an animal head, a feature also seen on a buckle pin tip (cat. no. 115: RF 3036), and the catch on a safety-pin brooch (no. 21, RF 10994; see above).
A number of elements of the motifs employed on the disc brooch point to a late 8th- to early 9th-century date. Confronted symmetrical pairs of animals enmeshed in interlace are known in art of the 7th–9th centuries, in manuscripts, metalwork and other materials (Tweddle 1992, 1158), but the clear delineation of the animals within the interlace, the emphasis on the animals, in terms of their size in relation to the area of interlace, and the way the interlace develops from the animals’ bodies, from their mouths, tails and legs, are all indicative of late 8th- to early 9th-century art (op. cit., 1158–60; Webster 2001b, 267), probably deriving from the later part of that period (R. Cramp, pers. comm.). The use of speckling to create texture on metalwork is also typical of the same period (Tweddle 1992, 1145). The motif of creatures enmeshed in interlace on no. 25 can be paralleled not only on metalwork of the period, such as the remarkably similar beasts depicted on the Witham pins, also found in Lincolnshire (Webster and Backhouse 1991, 227–8, no. 184), and a silver pin from Brandon, Suffolk (op. cit., 82–3, no. 66b), but also in manuscripts, as on the Leningrad Gospels (Alexander 1978, no. 39, ills. 188–95), often in similarly complex interlace patterns (Gannon 2007, 45), and in sculptures such as the zoomorphic friezes at Breedon-on-the-Hill (Webster 2001a, 45–7; Jewell 2001, 248).
Annular brooches (FIG. 1.2)
A small annular brooch with simple incised line decoration (cat. no. 26: RF 4566) was unstratified. Although this simple brooch form is commonly found in the medieval period (see below), the diminutive nature of no. 26 suggests that it is more likely to be a Saxon type, which tended to be very small (Hattatt 1985, 220). Leeds notes very similar brooches at Uncleby (East Yorks.) – some also decorated with groups of transverse lines (Leeds 1936, 98–9) – and at Garton Slack (East Yorks.) and Riby Park (North Yorks.; op. cit., 100), but also records that other examples have come from Lincolnshire (Leeds 1945, 49). Such small, delicate brooches seem most likely to have been used on light or flimsy garments (Hattatt 1982, 176).
Possibly a fragment of an Anglo-Saxon annular brooch of flat section, no. 27 (RF 3778) was unstratified. Its identification as an annular brooch is very tentative – unlike the vast majority of these brooches, it is undecorated, and the fragment has no constriction or hole for the attachment of a pin, although this element of the brooch may have been on the missing part. In terms of shape and overall diameter, it would appear to represent a small example of Hirst’s type IV (Hirst 1985, 55–7), which she suggests is a ‘distinct Anglian type of the sixth century’ (ibid., 55). Apart from one similarly sized example from Sewerby (ibid., fig. 39, no. 3), various sites in Suffolk have also produced similar small annular brooches (West 1998, 29, fig. 30, nos 3, 8; 77, fig. 109, no. 14).
Catalogue
(Dimensions are in mm. L. = length; W. = width; Th. = thickness; Diam. = diameter)
Safety-pin brooches (FIG. 1.1)
13 |
Copper alloy. Incomplete, pin broken off just below spirally twisted loop, bow of square section decorated with deep transverse V-sectioned notches. L.44, W.5.6 Bow section W.3, Th.2.7 |
14 |
Copper alloy. With pin of circular section, file marks on bow edges and front surface. L.36.9, W.6.5 Bow Th. 1.5 Pin section diam. 1.8 |
15 |
Copper alloy. With elongated oval bow, edges with incised lines defining field containing axial row of ring-and-dot motifs, pin of circular section. L.49, Bow W.5.5, Th.0.8. Pin section diam. 1.3 |
16 |
Copper alloy. In two adjoining fragments, with extended lozenge-shaped bow with incised lines along each edge, pin of circular section. L.46.2 Bow W. 7.3, Th.1.4. Pin section diam. 1.9 |
17 |
Copper alloy. Distorted with extended lozenge-shaped bow decorated with cross-shaped arrangement of ring-and-dot motifs within incised line border, pin of circular section. L.60.5. Bow W.9.1, Th. 1. Pin section diam. 2 |
18 |
Copper alloy. With plain lozenge-shaped bow, pin of circular section L. 40.5. Bow width: 7.5. Bow thickness: 1. Pin section diameter: 1.5 |
19 |
Copper alloy. With plain elongated oval bow, pin of sub-circular section. L 43. Bow width: 8. Bow thickness: 1.7. Pin section diameter: 1.5 |
20 |
Copper alloy. With lozenge-shaped bow, tip of one end broken off, decorated with deep triangular notches on each side, pair of incised lines at each end, pin broken off at incomplete end where apparent repair has been attempted with short strip riveted near to bow end, strip with remains of curved ?pin replacement. L 46. Bow width: 9.5. Bow thickness: 2 |
21 |
Silver. With bow and pin of circular section, file marks on pin shank, catch decoratively faceted to animal head shape. L.40.3. Bow section diam. 1.4 |
22 |
Copper alloy. Fragment, with incomplete spring, pin bent up and end roughly broken. L.24.4. Pin section diam. 4.5 |
23 |
Copper alloy, gilt. Hines (1997) group XVII. Incomplete, with the terminal lobe of the footplate and one corner of the headplate broken off. The pin, usually iron, is missing, and its anchorage on the back of the headplate is damaged. Besides decoration in cast relief on the face, there is punched decoration in the headplate frame, along the sides of the bow, and on the upper edges of the footplate, and incised decoration in the headplate inner panel frame as well as probably along the bow ridge and on the pin catch at the back. A naturalistic animal graffito is incised into the back of the headplate. All of the decoration and its parallels are discussed in greater detail in the main text (above, pp. 3–4). |
Small long brooch (FIG. 1.2) |
|
24 |
Copper alloy. Fragment, cross-potent head and part of bow, head top corners cut away asymmetrically, only one hole fully perforated, holes at bottom developed into sub-triangular slots. There are triangular mouldings to each side at upper end of bow which is triple-faceted and of plano-convex section. The remains of an iron pin and spring survive within lugs on the head’s reverse. L.25.6, W.20.7, Th.1.9. Bow section W.9.7, Th.4.6 |
25 |
Silver. Complete, apart from pin which has broken off, decorated with pair of confronted beasts within double relief circular border; beasts with arched backs and speckled bodies, surrounded by and enmeshed in deeply cut chip-carved interlace. This face has been mercury-gilded, some of the gilding worn away on the edges. A small part of the integral pin survives on one side; the hooked catch on the other has been shaped to resemble an animal head. Diam. 29.7, Th. 0.8 |
Annular brooches (FIG. 1.2) |
|
26 |
Copper alloy. Of circular section, decorated with four groups of three transverse incised lines, pin of sub-rectangular section with pointed tip. Diam. 13.7, Section diam. 1.5 |
27 |
Copper alloy. ?brooch, made of sheet, semi-circular, both ends broken. External diam. 37.5, Internal diam. 24, Th. 0.9 |
Iron brooches
by Patrick Ottaway
There are 22 examples (14 unstratified) of small iron ‘safety-pin’ brooches, none being over 50mm in length. Typically they have a lozenge-shaped head with a spring and catch on the underside. A few, however, including cat. nos 34, 48 and 49 (RFs 5770, 13591 and 13864: all unstratified), have long narrow asymmetrical heads which are at their widest near one end. No. 41 (RF 10987, Phases 5b–6i) is unique in having a parallel-sided head. The brooch head is often, but not always pierced in the centre. The reason for this is not apparent, and there is no evidence for their being riveted to anything else. In fact some of the heads which are pierced are also decorated as if for display. Decoration is confined to those with regular lozenge-shaped heads, and takes the form of punched dots (no. 29, RF 2482, Phase 6iii; no. 35, RF7935, Phase 3biii; no. 46, RF 12985, unstratified), punched dots with incised grooves along the margins (no. 37, RF 8967, unstratified), and diagonal grooves, again with grooves along the margins (nos 40 and 45: RFs 9367 and 12501 – both unstratified). Eight brooches are plated, and, where analysed, the metal is tin.
Stratified examples occur throughout the Flixborough sequence. No. 33 (RF 4097) dates to Phase 4ii, and there are three from Period 6 contexts. These are very distinctive and unusual objects for which there are no ready parallels except for two, one of which is lozenge-shaped and pierced in the centre, and the other which is oval, found in contexts dated to the 6th–7th century at Shakenoak Farm, Oxon. (P. D. C. Brown 1972, 94, fig. 43, 206–7).
Catalogue (FIG. 1.3)
Brooches usually have a lozenge-shaped head which is symmetrical unless stated, a spring and pin attached at one end and a catch at the other. All are plated, unless otherwise stated, and plating metal is given if analysed.
28 |
Half of head only. Plating is tin-lead. L.44, W.13mm (FIG. 1.3). |
29 |
Only part of pin is missing. Head pierced in centre; there are small indentations around the hole and running from the hole to each end. L.46, W.9mm (FIG. 1.3) |
30 |
Pin and spring only. L.26mm |
31 |
Head and catch. Head pierced in centre. L.40, W.10mm |
32 |
Head and catch. Head pierced in centre. Plating is tin-lead. L.48mm |
33 |
Half head only. L.36, W.11mm |
Elongated, asymmetrical head only. L.50, W.6mm |
|
35 |
Head and spring. Head is pierced in centre; there are several punched dots around the hole. Degraded fibrous organic material on back. L.35, W.10mm (FIG. 1.3) |
36 |
Head only. L.47, W.11mm |
37 |
Head only, pierced in centre. Incised grooves define the margins. Central hole surrounded by 7–8 indented dots and a line of dots runs towards each end. L.27, W.10mm |
38 |
Incomplete asymmetrical head only, pierced in centre. L.34, W.10mm |
39 |
Head only. Fibrous organic material, could be spun threads/weave. L.35, W.7mm |
40 |
Head only. Incised grooves define margins and chevron pattern in centre. Plating is tin-lead. L.36, W.13mm |
41 |
Incomplete, straight-sided head and spring. L.40, W.8mm |
42 |
Pin and spring only. L.35mm |
43 |
Head asymmetrical and pierced at widest point. Not plated. L.34, W.8mm |
44 |
Head and catch. Head pierced in centre. Plating is tin-lead. L.34, W.9mm |
45 |
Incomplete head and catch. Incised grooves define margins and there are incised diagonals across the centre of the head. Not plated. Random organic material present. L.36, W.11mm |
46 |
Incomplete head. Two punched dots each surrounded by 6–7 smaller dots. Plating is tin-lead. Plant material present. L.18, W.11mm |
47 |
Pin and spring only. Plating is tin-lead. L.26mm |
48 |
Elongated and asymmetrical head. L.45, W.7mm |
49 |
Elongated and asymmetrical head. Slight traces of random organic material. L.50, W.5mm |
1.2 Strap-ends
by Gabor Thomas, with contribution by Susan M. Youngs, Glynis Edwards† and Jacqui Watson
Discounting a group of eighteen strap-ends made from folded strips of metal, and a somewhat more ambiguous example included here for completeness (no. 83a), the strap-end assemblage from Flixborough is otherwise dominated by a mainstream Late Anglo-Saxon class characterised by its convex-sided form, a split attachment-end, usually pierced by a pair of rivets, and a terminal in the form of a stylised animal’s head seen from above. Decoration, which is invariably present on this class, is restricted to one surface and may be accompanied by a subsidiary fan-shaped field located at the split-end, reserved for a standardised trilobate palmette motif (see, for example, nos 50 and 55: RFs 554 and 100).
FIG. 1.3. Iron brooches. Scale 1:1.
The class can be attributed broadly to the 9th century by the following: the occurrence of high-status silver examples in coin-dated hoards including, Sevington, Wilts. (c.850), Trewhiddle, Cornwall (c.868), Talnotrie, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland (c.875) and Cuerdale, Lancs. (c.905: Blackburn and Pagan 1986); the recurrent display of stylistically diagnostic features, particularly Trewhiddle-style decoration (see below); and by a growing number of stratified archaeological discoveries from sites such as Hamwic (Hinton 1996, 37–44), Whithorn, Dumfries and Galloway (Nicholson and Hill 1997, BZ19a), and York (Moulden et al. 1999, no. 78). The stratified examples from Flixborough reinforce this general dating, two coming from mid-9th-century fills from ditch (50) and a further example from one of the late 9th-century dumps. While the remaining stratified examples, derived from mid 10th- to 11th-century contexts, are probably residual, the possibility of loss during this period cannot be ruled out in light of the possibility that some artefacts and art-styles traditionally dated to the 9th century may have an extended chronology within the north of the country (Moulden et al. 1999, 259).
The class represents the commonest form of surviving Late Saxon ornamental metalwork; to date over 900 examples have been recorded from sites within Britain as distant as Trewhiddle in Cornwall and Westness, Orkney, Scotland, and as a result of Viking activity examples have also been discovered further afield in Ireland and Scandinavia (Thomas 2000). Within Britain, the majority of find-spots fall to the south-east of a line drawn from the Bristol Channel to Whitby on the coast of North Yorkshire, the highest concentration coming from East Anglia, Lincolnshire and the Humber region, a pattern heavily influenced by metal-detecting, their major source of discovery. Finds to the north and west of this geographical line are relatively dispersed and predominantly coastal.
Strap-ends of this type acted as decorative terminals to straps of textile and leather employed in a variety of functional contexts, also affording the practical service of protecting their ends from fraying. One of their most widespread uses may have been as terminals to silk or textile girdles (Wilson 1964, 63), a suggestion that accords with the frequent richness of their decoration and their loss on a broad spectrum of contemporary settlement types. The discovery of several matching pairs in hoards and other archaeological contexts, together with their frequency at probable market sites, have also invited the suggestion that more robust examples may have been attached to bags and satchels (Webster in Webster and Backhouse 1991, 233; MacGregor 1994, 126).
The strap-end assemblage from Flixborough illustrates the wide variation exhibited by the class in respect to decorative technique, motif and composition. Six belong to the most popular and widely distributed sub-class characterised by Trewhiddle-style decoration, an art-form intimately associated with metalwork produced during the 9th and early part of the 10th centuries (Brøndsted 1924, passim; Wilson in Wilson and Blunt 1961, 99–106). Overall, Flixborough’s examples display several of the style’s defining traits, including: the use of beaded or billeted borders to enclose the main decorative field; the portrayal of profiled semi-naturalistic animals, often in a crouched, backward-looking pose, sometimes with extremities which develop into foliage or interlace; the texturing of motifs with speckling and double-nicking; and finally, the use of vitreous inlays including enamel and niello as a means to highlight decoration.
On the basis of decorative composition, the Trewhiddle-style strap-ends from Flixborough can be divided into two groups: the first distinguished by a single crouching animal, and the second, by a more attenuated form of animal which emits interlacing strands. Nos 50 and 51 (RFs 554 and 10785), representative of the second group, are closely related and the best in quality of the Flixborough assemblage, as indicated by their beaded edges and the crispness of their engraving, which is in both cases inlaid with niello. The decoration exhibited by these two strap-ends is characterised by a nicked, and in the case of no. 51 (RF 10785), a nicked and speckled animal, with a sinuous body which loops the full length of the decorative field in a figure-of-eight pattern. In both cases the strands of interlace which emerge from either the animal’s tongue or hindquarters form triquetra knots located at the side or bottom of the field.
Certain elements of this decorative composition reappear on other strap-ends and more widely amongst the corpus of Late Saxon ornamental metalwork. A similar looping animal, albeit less intricate and tightly controlled, with a pierced body is displayed on a beaded strap-end from Richborough (Kent) (Smith 1850, pl. V). A good parallel for the distinctive and unusual body lappets which project into the upper corners of the decorative field is provided by a gilt copper-alloy strap-end from the Baths Basilica, Wroxeter (Hereford and Worcester), compared by David Wilson to the complete strap-end from the Sevington hoard (Wilts.), deposited c.850 (Barker et al. 1997, 194, fig. 297). Outside the strap-end corpus the closest relatives of the Flixborough animal appear on fields 10 and 17 of the silver guard-mounts of the Abingdon sword, dated on stylistic grounds to the last quarter of the 9th century (Hinton 1974, pls 1b and c). While comparanda exist for individual elements of this composition, that such a distinctive combination of traits should be shared by two of Flixborough’s strap-ends, strongly suggests that they are products of a single hand or workshop; one can not discount the possibility that they were intended to be worn as a pair.
No. 52 (RF 14022), a less elaborate version, has plain borders and simplified zoomorphic interlace which differs from the above in two respects. Firstly, at the expense of the animal the interlace has grown to occupy a greater proportion of the decorative field, and secondly, there is little or no interplay between the animal’s body and the strands of interlace emitted by its hindquarters. In these divergences this motif is much more closely related to the overall handling of the aforementioned Wroxeter and Sevington animals and is also fairly widespread on Trewhiddle-style strap-ends from Lincolnshire and the Humber region (Thomas 2000, Appendix 1). The poor preservation of the remaining example, no. 53 (RF 10905), precludes further comment.
Of the two strap-ends which constitute the first Trew-hiddle-style group, the damaged example no. 54 (RF 3748) is the better executed, featuring a classic, crouching Trewhiddle-style animal with angled hip and splayed toes, closely matched by the decoration on strap-ends from Stevenston Sands, Ayrshire, Scotland (Callander 1932–3, fig. 5, no. 1), and Middle Harling, Norfolk (Margeson 1995a, fig. 41, no. 69).
On no. 55 (RF 100), notable for its use of a single rivet for attachment in common with the small silver pair of strap-ends from the Trewhiddle hoard (Wilson and Blunt 1961, pl. XXIIIc), the crouching animal is much reduced in scale and reserved against an enamel ground. Through a national study (Thomas 2000) and selected scientific analysis (e.g. Stapleton et al. 1995), enamelled decoration has been identified on several such strap-ends, where it is used either, as here, as a ground to highlight Trewhiddle-style decoration, or else simpler incised geometric designs, as in the case of no. 58 (RF 3744). The Flixborough strap-end appears to be a degenerate version of more crisply executed enamelled strap-ends from Harling and Bawsey, Norfolk (Margeson 1995a, fig. 41, no. 70; Webster and Backhouse 1991, cat. no. 188d), and Trowbridge, Wilts (Graham and Davies 1993, 83, fig. 29.4), though on the latter two examples the animal has been replaced by a panel of interlace.
Nos 56 (RF 1505), and possibly 57 (RF 7326), are representatives of a distinctive decorative sub-class characterised by settings of niello, or less commonly enamel, inlaid with silver-wire scrollwork (Thomas 1996). Over 85 per cent of the 100 or so finds of this sub-class have been found in Norfolk and Suffolk, a focused distribution which strongly suggests that this style of decoration represents a provincial East Anglian fashion. No. 56 (RF 1505) displays the most common decorative arrangement displayed by this grouping, characterised by a pair of elongated rectangular panels of niello, each inlaid with a combination of silver-wire scrolls surrounded by smaller horseshoe-shaped filler elements (ibid., 83, fig. 5). Although the first example of its sub-class to be discovered in either Lincolnshire or North Lincolnshire, the Flixborough find conforms to the general distribution outside East Anglia which is strongly polarized towards the east coast reaching as far as Cottam (East Riding of Yorkshire) in the north, and Berechurch (Essex) in the south (ibid., 83, fig. 1); hooked tags decorated in the same style, and thus also likely to be of East Anglian origin, have been discovered at Harpswell, Lincs. (Scunthorpe Museum acc. no. 1996.145) and South Newbald, East Riding of Yorks. (Leahy 2000, figs 6.4.14 and 6.5.5). Given their probable source, these strap-ends complement other evidence – most notably Ipswich-type ware pottery and West Saxon coinage – reflecting Flixborough’s active engagement in contemporary east-coast trading networks.
While highly corroded and fragmentary, the pair of inlaid rectangular settings on the front panel of no. 57 (RF 7326) suggests this may be another example of the East Anglian sub-class, although the use of a central notched band is unusual.
Flixborough has several strap-ends drawn from the cheaper end of the market including nos 58 and 59 (RFs 3744 and 11933), which carry panels of incised or punched decoration in association with simplified palmette and terminal features. No. 58 (RF 3744) is an example of a particularly common and widespread variety distinguished by lattice decoration, which in some cases, as here, was inlaid with enamel or niello. Several examples, both with and without inlays, have been discovered from sites within the Humber region and North Yorks. such as Fishergate, York (Rogers 1993a, nos 5317 and 5321), and St Peter’s Church, Holton-le-Clay, Lincs. (Sills 1982, fig. 11D). No. 59 (RF 11933), which is decorated with punched arcs, has fewer parallels from a more defined geographical area, the majority coming from East Yorkshire sites including Cottam (Haldenby 1992, fig. 3, no. 7), South Newbald (Leahy 2000, fig. 6.4.2) and Thwing (Leahy forthcoming).
The four split-end fragments are also derived from strap-ends of this classic Late Anglo-Saxon class, as indicated by their slender dimensions, scalloped upper edges, paired rivet-holes, and in the case of no. 61 (RF 2556), palmette motif.
The plain strap-end, no. 60 (RF 1524), although clearly related to the above class in size and in its use of a delicate split attachment-end, is distinguished by having a plain rounded terminal. This unusual shape recalls the strap-end discovered in a pre-10th-century (period I) context at Cheddar, Somerset, incised with foliate decoration which David Wilson has ascribed to the late 9th century (Wilson 1979, 282, fig. 95, C.A. 14). The morphology of these two strap-ends could reflect the early influence of continental tongue-shaped Carolingian strap-ends which provided the model widely followed by Anglo-Saxon craftsmen during the 10th century; the discovery of the Flixborough example from a mid 10th-century occupation deposit would accord with this attribution (see, for example, the series from Winchester in Hinton 1990b).
Another variation on this mainstream Late Saxon class is no. 65 (RF 3276), which has a tapering shaft of ovoid cross-section with a pair of raised collars marking the junction between the wedge-shaped split-end and a knopped terminal. The majority of parallels for this unusual form, including a group of metal-detected finds recorded by Kevin Leahy at Scunthorpe Museum, are from Lincolnshire and North Lincolnshire sites, a pattern which may reflect a regional fashion, or perhaps the activity of a single workshop based in the locality. From the same region and also displaying a wedge-shaped split-end with a tapering shaft, in this instance in combination with a pointed terminal, is an iron strap-end from Riby, Lincs., recovered from the fill of an 8th–9th-century ditch (Ottaway 1994, fig. 15, no. 70).
A related strap-end, discovered in a Late Saxon ditch at Worton Rectory Farm, Yarnton, Oxon. (Anne Dodd, pers. comm.), represents one of the few parallels from further afield, although the use of a knopped terminal also distinguishes a series of Middle Saxon strap-ends, represented at Hamwic and Lundenwic, with very narrow round-sectioned shafts indicating a specialised usage perhaps lace-tags (see Hinton 1996, 37–9; Blackmore 1989, fig. 41, no. 208; Goffin 1995, fig. 10, no. 19).
The group of 18 folded, sheet-metal, strap-ends from Flixborough represent an important body of evidence for on-site manufacture and recycling, especially no. 66 (RF 552), fabricated from an off-cut from an 8th-century bucket-mount (see Youngs, p. 10). Unfortunately, due to their lack of stylistic detail, such strap-ends are notoriously difficult to date closely, a problem compounded by the longevity of their simple folded design. While few examples have been securely identified from Mid to Late Saxon contexts, see, for example, those from Hamwic (Hinton 1996, 44, fig. 17) and Ripon, North Yorks. (Rogers 1996), and North Elmham, Norfolk (I. H. Goodall 1980a, 503, fig. 263, no. 15), it is likely that some residual finds may have in the past been mistaken as medieval clasps or bindings.
Of Flixborough’s series, no. 81 (RF 13198), which is decorated with sub-triangular edge nicks on its front face, has a number of parallels from mid-to-late-Saxon sites, including a folded strap-end from Thwing (East Riding of Yorks.), discovered in a midden deposit containing early 10th-century pottery (Leahy forthcoming). A broad 9th-century date is also likely for those examples, including nos 59, 66, 74 and 75 (RFs 552, 4167, 4489 and 11933), with upper edges which are crudely notched or scalloped – in some cases leaving a central triangular protrusion – in imitation of the split-ends characteristic of the Late Anglo-Saxon animal-headed class. In the case of no. 74 this attribution is supported by its discovery in a late 9th or earlier, context. While the remaining unstratified examples from Flixborough lack such diagnostic features, it is tempting to attribute the series as a whole to the late Saxon period given that the evidence recovered for non-ferrous metalworking activity peaks strongly during the 9th century.
Note on strap-end no. 66 (RF 552: FIGS 1.4–1.5)
by Susan M. Youngs
The sheet of leaded bronze from which this strap-end was cut was already decorated with finely incised lines, and all edges of the strap-end cut through this curvilinear ornament. The design forms a flowing pattern of compass-based spirals and trumpets punctuated with vesicas (or pointed ovals: FIG. 1.5). Although some of the detail is now unclear, the whole area of preserved decoration shows variations within the individual fields and in the minor elements, and there appears to be no exact repetition between the spirals and details. A distinctive characteristic is the plain back-ground and the use of panels of hatching within the vesicas and also areas of the spirals and trumpets; in two internal panels triangles of parallel lines are engraved at right-angles to each other.
This fluid curvilinear ornament with fine hatching has close parallels on the bronze sheeting that was used to decorate elaborately mounted wooden buckets. These are rare and specialised vessels and the remains of only six buckets of this type are known. Three surviving complete buckets formed part of the furnishings of Viking-period burials in Scandinavia and were found, variously, in Sweden, at the trading centre of Birka on Lake Mälar, in Norway at Hopperstad, Vik, Sogn og Fjordane, and most recently in 1986 at Skei, Steinkjer, in Nord-Trøndelag (Bakka 1963, 27–33; Graham-Campbell 2001, 30–31, fig. 3.3). This fluid curvilinear ornament with its distinctive, alternating hatching finds its best, direct parallels in the bands of engraved ornament found on these complete vessels. These are birch or yew-wood buckets but covered externally with incised bronze sheeting, which was tinned in the case of the Birka bucket (Bakka 1963, 27–33; Graham-Campbell 1980, no. 318; Bakka 1984, 233–5). On all three buckets the lowest register of ornament is an incised curvilinear pattern of the Flixborough type, with vesicas and fine cross-hatching.
It has been argued that the Hopperstad and Birka bucket panels are so similar in shape and ornament that they must have come from the same workshop, but the quality of the incised ornament is variable. The Flixborough offcut is much closer in quality of execution and style to the Birka panel, and shares with it the distinctive twisted-band effect in the centre of the spirals. All three buckets are exotic finds from Scandinavia, imported there during the Viking period, as were related fragments of bronze sheeting found at Farmen, Vestfold and Torshof, Akershus (Bakka 1963, fig. 28). Another fragment was excavated from an early Viking period burial at Machrins, Colonsay (Ritchie 1981, 268–9). Dr Bakka considered these buckets to be Northumbrian in origin because of their use of inhabited vine scroll and on the basis of the use of oblique hatching (passim, 28, 32–3). More recent finds at Donore, County Meath and Clonmore, County Antrim, however, confirm an Irish use of this type of hatching. The possibility that the friezes of interlinked spiral beasts used on all four Scandinavian finds could be Pictish was developed in the context of the St Ninian’s Isle finds (Wilson in Small, Thomas and Wilson 1973, 127–32), but this cultural attribution was not accepted by Bakka because of the evidence of Northumbrian sculpture showing the origin and development of the ‘Tree-of-Life’ motif seen on the buckets. This, however, downplays the Pictish use of this ornament in sculpture. Increased awareness of the complex artistic inter-relationships between Ireland, Iona and the expanded Columban federation makes it harder to be so sure of regional attributions for the portable applied arts of fine metalwork and manuscript production. Bakka’s opinion remains substantially viable, and the appearance of this reused piece in Lindsey (North Lincs.) in a pre-Viking context is certainly consonant with an origin in Northumbria for the original bucket. It is likely that these vessels with their Christian decoration had an ecclesiastical source and possible ritual function, as did the various shrine fittings discovered in Viking graves.
Dating is largely conventional, based on stylistic considerations with very few fixed reference points. The Hopperstad bucket came from a 10th-century burial (Wamers 1985, Cat. 64), the Birka example from a Middle Viking Period grave, that is dating from the late 9th to the second half of the 10th century (Graham-Campbell 1980, no. 318; Bakka 1984).
The buckets were broadly dated to the 8th century by Bakka, but, in the light of recent excavations and analyses, the period 750 to 825 is more likely for their manufacture and hence for the original bronze sheet of the Flixborough piece.
[The affinities of this piece are also discussed more fully and illustrated in Youngs 2001, 211–16.]
FIG. 1.5. Detail of decoration on strap end no. 66, RF 552. Scale 2:1. [drawing by Lisa Humphrey, British Museum]
Note on an enamelled strap-end no. 84
(RF 1618: FIG. 1.4; PL. 1.4)
by Susan M. Youngs
The middle portion of a cast copper-alloy strap end, broken at both ends, was recovered from a Phase 6iii context. It comprises a long narrow plate which narrows to a waist towards one end to give two decorative fields tapering slightly at the ends. The smaller one has cast interlace in low relief, the larger one is inlaid with champlevé enamel. The reddish matter in the interlace field appears to be corrosion rather than enamel. The main field has a background inlay of decayed yellow, with a reserved pattern of two circles with a hollow bar between them. The circles have four arcs around the edge to create an inner cusped lozenge still filled with red enamel. The back is plain, and the back of the larger area has laminated or been deliberately split. It is best interpreted as a strap-end but its purpose is not entirely clear.
Opaque enamel is characteristic of Irish metalwork of the 8th century, although strap ends are not found in the Irish material. Enamel is also employed on some later classes of metalwork, principally horse bridle mounts and also belt buckles associated with Viking burials in Man and western Scotland which have small fields of enamel. The elongated and waisted form of this strap end and the use of enamel suggest that it is probably a product of this Hiberno-Norse tradition, dating from the 9th century.
***
Conclusion
by Gabor Thomas
Flixborough’s total of 36 complete and fragmentary strap-ends is numerically comparable to that of the most extensively excavated contemporary settlements such as Hamwic, with a total of 37, and the most productive of the so-called ‘productive sites’ of eastern England, including Cottam and South Newbald (East Riding of Yorks.), and Bawsey (Norfolk), with totals of 32, 28 and 30 respectively. In composition, Flixborough’s tally is comparable to other large strap-end assemblages from the Humber region, including those from the Anglian focus at Cottam B (Haldenby 1990; 1992; 1994) and South Newbald (Leahy 2000), which are characterised by a predominance of the mainstream animal-headed class decorated in either the Trewhiddle style or with simple geometric designs.
Despite the discovery of probable imports, including the East Anglian silver-wire sub-class, from both Flixborough and Cottam, and the possible Hiberno-Norse enamelled example (no. 84), it is likely that the majority of strap-ends from these sites were obtained via more restricted networks of trade, communication and exchange local to the Humber region and neighbouring parts of Lincolnshire and Yorkshire. With a lack of definitive archaeological evidence for production sites, it is difficult to gauge precisely where and under what level of specialisation strap-ends within this region were manufactured. The extreme levels of stylistic variability displayed by the class on sites with high strap-end yields such as Flixborough does suggest, however, that the local market was supplied by a multiplicity of local workshops and/or craftsmen rather than a limited number of major production centres. More certainty surrounds the origins of Flixborough’s large group of folded, sheet-metal, strap-ends which were probably manufactured on-site as a cheaper, and, in some cases, temporary alternative to strap-ends purchased or commissioned locally. Although these simple strap-ends can be paralleled individually on other sites both within and beyond the Humber region, the exceptional quantity recovered from Flixborough should be taken as a further reflection of the self-sufficiency of this important Late Anglo-Saxon estate centre.
The absence of Anglo-Scandinavian and cast tongue-shaped strap-ends from Flixborough’s assemblage – both of which circulated within the North-eastern Danelaw during the 10th to 11th centuries – is notable, though not surprising given that they were evidently produced in much fewer numbers than the earlier Anglo-Saxon animal-headed type (Thomas 2001). Cottam, for example, has only three such strap-ends to show for its Anglo-Scandinavian occupation (Haldenby 1990, fig. 4, no. 17; 1992, fig. 3, nos 1 and 9; Richards 2000). This fall-off evidenced in the strap-end assemblage is seen in other classes of ornamental metalwork, as reflected in the comparative dearth of material from sites such as Wharram Percy, North Yorks., which were demonstrably occupied during the Anglo-Scandinavian period (Richards 1997). David Hinton has suggested that this decline is a reflection of changing attitudes towards the conspicuous display of status through personal adornment (1990e, 102). Whether or not one wishes to explain this phenomenon in explicitly social terms, it has important implications for the way in which the negative evidence from Flixborough and other sites like it is interpreted, for such cannot necessarily be equated with a cessation of occupation or a decline in status or activity.
Catalogue (FIGS 1.4 and 1.5; PLS 1.3–1.4)
50 |
Copper-alloy convex-sided strap-end pierced at its split-end by a pair of copper-alloy rivets with flattened heads and shanks of square section. The borders enclosing the decoration on the front of the strap-end bear triangular punch-marks in imitation of beading. A well-defined trilobate palmette is located between the rivets, while the central sub-rectangular panel of decoration below is occupied by a nicked, Trewhiddle-style animal with an attenuated body which curves in a figure-of-eight configuration. The animal’s head, which features a small ear and an eye consisting of a circular pit with a rear linear extension, bites the narrowing mid portion of its body. The neck and upper section of the body form a loop which sprouts a pair of foliate lappets into the interstice at the upper corners of the field. The front leg, which emerges from a punched circular hip at the centre of the loop, pierces the neck of the animal prior to terminating in a foot with an elongated toe. Below the head, the body bifurcates into a hind leg, terminating in a two-toed foot, and an interlacing tail which self-engages to form a simple knot at the bottom of the field from which a strand emerges to pierce the animal’s hindquarters diagonally. The worn zoomorphic terminal has oval ears with lunate and circular incisions separated by a small central lobe, incised eyes and a rounded snout. The reverse of the strap-end is plain. L.36mm, W.9.3mm, Th. 1.9mm. (FIG. 1.4) |
51 |
Copper-alloy convex-sided strap-end pierced at its split-end by a pair of copper-alloy rivets with flat heads and shanks of square section. The front-plate is decorated with a fan-shaped field inhabited with a well-defined trilobate palmette. The central panel of decoration, enclosed within a beaded outer, and plain inner, border, is skilfully executed and inlaid with niello (now missing in several places). It portrays a nicked and speckled, backward-looking, Trewhiddle-style animal with an attenuated body which engages with strands of interlace in a looping, figure-of-eight configuration. Behind a prominent head with a drilled eye, gaping mouth and forked tongue, the neck of the animal curves round in an upper loop which sprouts a pair of sub-triangular lappets into the interstices at the upper corners of the field. A strand of interlace, emitted by the animal’s tongue, pierces the central portion of the body before self-engaging to form an interlaced knot sandwiched between the body and the left-hand frame. The animal’s looping hindquarters develop into a tail which forms a second interlacing knot at the bottom of the field. The zoomorphic terminal is limited to a pair of sub-circular ears decorated internally with three interlocking lunate incisions. Below this point the metal has been filed down in antiquity to create a flat edge, possibly following a breakage. Fibrous organic material preserved between the plates. L. 32.7mm, W. 10.2mm, Th. 1.4mm. (FIG. 1.4) |
52 |
Copper-alloy parallel-sided strap-end with incised decoration. The scalloped split-end is pierced by a pair of rivet-holes, beneath which emerges a stylised palmette formed from an incised inverted ‘V’ resting within an arc. The central rectangular field of decoration, enclosed within incised borders, is inhabited by a contorted backward-looking Trewhiddle-style animal with a segmented triangular-shaped foot, dotted eye and a gaping mouth, the lower jaw of which engages with the tail to form a panel of interlace below. The zoomorphic terminal has crudely incised oval ears, faceted eyes and a squared-off snout. L.35.3mm, W. 7.7mm. (FIG. 1.4) |
53 |
Damaged convex-sided copper-alloy strap-end, broken across the split-end so that the rivet holes and some of the decoration are missing. The latter, which is badly worn and corroded, consists of a central sub-rectangular field of incised zoomorphic interlace enclosed within plain borders. At the upper edge of the field, is a backward-turned animal head with a circular eye and gaping mouth. Below this point a poorly defined neck and body degenerate into a confused interlace pattern which extend towards the bottom of the field. The zoomorphic terminal has large oval ears and bears an incised cross on its snout. L.33mm, W. 10.2mm. Th. 1.4mm. (FIG. 1.4) |
54 |
Copper-alloy convex-sided strap-end with a damaged split-end. The latter is pierced by three rivet holes, a pair adjacent to the upper edge, and a third placed centrally below. The central sub-rectangular panel of decoration, which is partially obscured by the split-end breakage and corrosion, bears the remains of an incised crouching Trewhiddle-style animal inlaid with niello. The animal is portrayed in a backward-looking pose, its body terminating in a tail and a hind-leg with a two-toed foot. The zoomorphic terminal has oval ears with lunate incisions, faceted eyes and a rounded snout. L. 46.5mm, W. 11.8mm, Th. 3.5mm. (FIG. 1.4) |
55 |
Copper-alloy convex-sided strap-end with crudely billeted edges and a single, centrally-placed, rivet hole at its split-end. A simplified, U-shaped palmette is located between the rivet hole and a central sub-rectangular field of decoration which consists of a stylised crouched and backward-looking Trewhiddle-style animal reserved against an enamel ground. The zoomorphic terminal has oval ears with lunate incisions, an engraved and enamel-inlaid motif on its brow and a squared-off snout. Irregular tooling marks are discernible on its reverse. L.29.2mm, W.9mm, Th. 1.1mm. (FIG. 1.4) |
56 |
Copper-alloy convex-sided strap-end pierced by a pair of rivet holes at a damaged split-end, which bears the worn remnants of an engraved fan-shaped field on its front surface. The central panel is decorated with a pair of sub-rectangular recessed fields which would have originally held decorative settings of niello/enamel inlaid with silver wire. Only small fragments of these remain, most notably in the left-hand panel which retains a circular scroll of silver wire flanked by three smaller wire loops. One of the latter is all that remains of the original inlay in the right-hand panel. A lateral breakage has removed the bottom of these fields and the zoomorphic terminal. Fibrous organic traces in corrosion from iron rivet. L. 23.1mm, W. 11.4mm, Th. 1.6mm. (FIG. 1.4) |
57 |
Damaged convex-sided copper-alloy strap-end, the front-plate and terminal of which are missing. The surviving back-plate of the split-end has a nicked upper edge and a pair of rivet holes. The front panel, which is fragmentary and corroded, has billeted edges which enclose two longitudinal panels of corroded inlay separated by a crudely notched central border. The inlay is too corroded to reconstruct the original decoration, but it is likely to have been of niello and silver wire. Diagonal tooling marks are evident on the reverse. L. 24.5mm, W. 11.1mm, Th. 1.1mm. (FIG. 1.4) |
58 |
Copper-alloy convex-sided strap-end pierced at its split-end by a pair of iron rivets which have corroded and discoloured much of the surrounding metal. Below the rivets is a large simplified palmette composed of an incised outer ‘U’ with an internal diagonal cross. The central panel is decorated with an incised, enamel-inlaid lattice design enclosed within incised outer borders, the enamel having discoloured to whitish-green. The well-modelled zoomorphic terminal has three longitudinal nicks to represent ears, slightly faceted eyes, and a rounded snout. The reverse is covered with diagonal tooling marks. Degraded fibrous traces in iron corrosion from rivets. L. 33.4mm, W. 9.5mm, Th. 1.9mm. (FIG. 1.4) |
59 |
Copper-alloy convex-sided strap-end with a pair of asymmetrically placed rivet holes at its crudely scalloped split-end. The central panel of incised decoration consists of two columns of conjoined interlocking arcs enclosed within vertical borders. The highly stylised zoomorphic terminal features three transverse lines, of which the central one has been punched with a pair of circular holes representing eyes. Similar punch-marks have been used for the nostrils on the squared-off snout. Due to its fabrication from a very thin sheet metal both sets of punch-marks are visible on the back of the strap-end as convex ‘pimples’. Fine diagonal tooling marks are discernible on its front surface. L. 47.1mm, W. 16.3mm, Th. 0.6mm. (FIG. 1.4) |
60 |
Plain copper-alloy strap-end of tongue-shaped form pierced at its split-end by a single, centrally-placed, rivet hole. The plate widens from the split-end toward a rounded, featureless terminal. A pair of deeply cut tooling-marks made from the edges of the plate bisect one another at the base of the rivet hole. L. 27.1mm, W. 15.3mm, Th. 1mm. (FIG. 1.4) |
61 |
Decorated front-plate from a copper-alloy strap-end. In addition to a pair of rivet holes parallel to its upper edge, a third, which pierces the tip of the central leaf of the foliate palmette, indicates that the strap-end was repaired in antiquity. The trilobate palmette which emerges from between and beneath the pair of rivet holes has a defined basal bulb, which forms a sub-triangular projection at the upper edge of the split-end and a central horizontal band, which separates the bulb from the fan of leaves below. Only a small section of the original front panel survives, revealing a sub-rectangular field of engraved decoration enclosed within a pair of plain borders. Greater survival of the left-hand side of the panel suggests that the original design may have been zoomorphic. L. 10.7mm, W. 11.8mm, Th. 0.6mm. (FIG. 1.4) |
62 |
Sub-rectangular back-plate from a copper-alloy strap-end. The fragment is pierced asymmetrically by two small rivet holes and is scalloped at its upper edge. The fragment can be identified as a back-plate on the basis of its curvature and the lack of surface decoration. L. 13mm, W. 12.7mm, Th. 0.7mm. |
63 |
A gently curving back-plate from a copper-alloy strap-end. Below a crudely scalloped upper edge, the plate is pierced by a pair of rivet holes, the right-hand of which retains the corroded remains of a copper-alloy rivet. A third rivet hole is located centrally below the pair. L. 12.3mm, W. 11.5mm, Th. 0.45mm. |
64 |
Corroded back-plate from a copper-alloy strap-end pierced by a pair of rivet-holes. The lack of surface decoration suggests that this formed the back-plate. L. 13.7mm, W. 12.4mm, Th. 0.8mm |
65 |
Cast copper-alloy strap-end of ovoid cross-section. The wedge-shaped split-end has a pair of sub-triangular nicks at its upper edge and a centrally-placed attachment rivet. A pair of raised moulded collars, which extend onto both front and back surfaces of the strap-end, divide off a central convex-sided shaft from the split-end and a knopped spheroid terminal. The strap-end is otherwise plain. Fibrous traces on rivets. L. 30.2mm, W. 6mm, Th. 2.8mm. (FIG. 1.4) |
66 |
Sub-rectangular strap-end made by cutting a strip 62.2mm by 30.2mm from a decorated copper-alloy sheet, folding it lengthways, cutting two small decorative notches in each narrow end and piercing this open end with two rivet holes (FIG. 1.5). Some of the original incised decoration is abraded and difficult to read, for example where the sheet is folded, but it forms a continuous abstract pattern with two spirals, trumpets framing vesicas and areas enriched with fine hatching. The metal is unevenly patinated and thicker along one long edge (see FIG. 1.5). Slight organic traces on rivets. L. 31.1mm., W. 15.1mm, Th. 0.5mm. (FIGS 1.4–1.5) |
Plain sub-rectangular strap-end formed from a folded strip of copper alloy. The attachment-end is pierced by a pair of copper-alloy rivets of square section which are crudely burred over at the back to hold them in place. L. 11mm, W. 11.7, Th. 0.15mm. (FIG. 1.4) |
|
68 |
Plain sub-rectangular strap-end formed from folded narrow strip of copper alloy. The attachment end possesses a centrally-placed rivet hole. L.20.5mm, W.5.2mm, Th.0.3mm. (FIG. 1.4) |
69 |
Plain sub-rectangular strap-end formed from a folded strip of copper alloy. The strap-end was originally secured by two small copper-alloy rivets at the attachment-end, of which only the right-hand survives. L.17.2mm, W.21.1mm, Th.0.2mm |
70 |
Plain sub-rectangular strap-end formed from a folded strip of copper alloy. The front face of the attachment end has a pair of rivet-holes, the left-hand retaining the corroded remains of the original copper-alloy rivet-head. The back edge of the attachment-end, including the rivet-holes, are missing. L.12.1mm, W.26.8mm, Th.0.3mm |
71 |
Damaged sub-rectangular section from a folded, copper-alloy strap-end, pierced centrally near its upper edge by a rivet-hole. The bottom of the plate is curved in the vicinity of the original fold. L.12.7mm, W.12.2, Th.1.4mm. |
72 |
Fragment of a plain sub-rectangular strap-end formed from a folded strip of copper alloy. A pair of rivet-holes pierce the plate towards one if its ends. L.10.6mm, W.14.2mm, Th.0.2mm. |
73 |
Plain sub-rectangular strap-end formed from a folded strip of copper alloy. The attachment-end is pierced by a centrally-placed rivet-hole. L.c.24mm, W.9.7mm, Th.0.35mm |
74 |
Plain sub-rectangular strap-end formed from a folded, slightly tapering strip of copper alloy. The attachment-end, which is pierced by a pair of copper-alloy rivets, has a scalloped upper edge with a central triangular projection. Irregular tooling-marks are discernible on its outer surface and the recess in the attachment-end retains a small portion of the original strap. Leather survives between plates. L.32.3mm, W. 12.1mm, Th. 0.5mm. (FIG. 1.4) |
75. |
Sub-rectangular strap-end formed from a narrow folded strip of copper alloy. The upper edge of the attachment-end is decorated with a pair of triangular nicks which flank a centrally-placed copper-alloy rivet of square section. Very degraded leather between plates may have delaminated, or be double thickness. (FIG. 1.4) L.20.5mm, W.6.5mm, Th.0.3mm. |
76 |
Sub-rectangular strap-end formed from a folded strip of copper alloy pierced at its attachment-end by a pair of rivet-holes. The edges have been irregularly cut, the fold is asymmetrical and the upper edge of the front face has been crudely scalloped. The surface of the strap-end bears irregular file marks. Black fibrous organic material, probably leather, present. L.22.4mm, W.19.2mm, Th.0.35mm |
77 |
Plain sub-rectangular strap-end formed from a folded strip of copper alloy pierced through its attachment-end by a pair of rivet-holes. The surface of the strap-end bears irregular file-marks. L.19.4mm, W.14mm. Th.0.4mm. |
78 |
Plain sub-rectangular strap-end formed from a folded strip of copper alloy. The strap-end has been pierced at its attachment-end by a centrally-placed copper-alloy rivet which secures a fragment of textile or leather in the recess. Black fibrous organic material, leather (?), survives. L.11.7mm, W.10.3mm, Th.0.1mm. |
79 |
Plain strap-end fabricated from a folded, ovoid sheet of copper alloy. A small centrally-placed rivet hole pierces the attachment-end which has damaged edges. L.14mm, W.18.6mm, Th.0.2mm. (FIG. 1.4) |
80 |
Sub-rectangular strap-end formed from a folded strip of copper alloy, roughly tapered at both ends and pierced towards one end by a central rivet hole. Between the recess of the attachment-end is an additional pierced strip of copper alloy, to which adheres a surviving portion of the original (?) leather strap. L.19.7mm, W.12.4mm, Th.0.15mm. |
81 |
Sub-rectangular strap-end formed from a folded strip of copper alloy, roughly tapered towards its ends and pierced towards one end by a central rivet-hole. The front of the attachment-end, which tapers at a steeper angle than the back, is decorated with a series of sub-triangular edge-nicks; a further pair of these nicks exists on the back towards the fold. L.14.5mm, W.7.9mm, Th.0.5mm. (FIG. 1.4) |
82 |
Sub-rectangular strap-end formed from a folded strip of copper alloy, pierced at its attachment-end by a centrally-placed iron rivet. Corrosion products from the iron rivet have obscured much of the surface of the strap-end. Random organic material survives on the outside. L.19.6mm, W.14.8mm, Th.0.3mm |
83 |
Plain rectangular strap-end formed from a folded strip of copper alloy, pierced at its attachment-end by a centrally-placed copper-alloy rivet. The outer surface bears irregular file-marks. L.21.6mm, W.9.2mm, Th.0.2mm |
An enamelled strap-end (RF 1618: FIG. 1.4; PL. 1.4) |
|
84 |
Middle portion of a cast copper-alloy strap end, broken at both ends. A long narrow plate narrows to a waist towards one end to give two decorative fields tapering slightly at the ends. The smaller one has cast interlace in low relief, the larger one is inlaid with champlevé enamel. The reddish matter in the interlace field appears to be corrosion rather than enamel. The main field has a background inlay of decayed yellow, with a reserved pattern of two circles with a hollow bar between them. The circles have four arcs around the edge to create an inner cusped lozenge still filled with red enamel. The back is plain and the back of the larger area has laminated or been deliberately split. It is best interpreted as a strap-end but its purpose is not entirely clear. |
Five iron strap ends
by Patrick Ottaway
(with a contribution by Gabor Thomas)
There are five tin-plated iron strap-ends (two unstratified). Four of them have a ‘mouth’ at the head where they were riveted to a strap in the same way as Anglo-Saxon non-ferrous strap-ends. Nos 86–7 (RFs 6843 and 9768: both Phase 6iii–7) and no. 89 (RF 12513; unstratified) are similar in tapering to the tip. No. 89 (RF 12513) is the simplest in form being decorated with incised grooves across the lower part of one face. No. 86 (RF 6843; Phase 6iii–7) has incised diagonal grooves in a central field and a stylised animal head at the tip. It is similar to three tin-plated iron strap-ends from Anglo-Scandinavian contexts at 16–22 Coppergate, York (Ottaway 1992, 690–1, fig. 298, 3790–1, 3). Other iron strap-ends of the same basic form as the Flixborough examples come from middle Anglo-Saxon contexts at Hamwic, Southampton (SOU15.008 and SOU31.150, unpublished, excavated by Southampton City Council), and Ramsbury (Evison 1980, 35, fig. 20, 6). No. 88 (RF 9920: unstratified) is rather different from the first two in having a lobe at each end; it closely resembles an Anglo-Scandinavian strap-end from Coppergate (Ottaway 1992, fig. 298, 3789).
No. 85 (RF 3344; Phase 4i–ii) was made by simply folding a piece of metal over and riveting it to the strap. Both arms narrow towards the ‘mouth’, where they have a pierced, rounded terminal. There are two incised grooves on each arm immediately below the terminal.
Note on strap-end no. 87 (RF 9768; FIG. 1.6)
by Gabor Thomas
Despite featuring a highly simplified terminal and near parallel sides, no. 87 (RF 9768) is clearly related to the Late Anglo-Saxon animal-headed class of which Flixborough has several copper-alloy examples. The lattice decoration displayed on its front panel is a particularly common motif on non-ferrous strap-ends, including one of the Flixborough series, no. 58 (RF 3744). Other iron strap-ends having a superficial resemblance to the Flixborough example have been discovered at Ramsbury, Wilts. (Evison 1980, fig. 20, no. 6) and Canterbury, Kent (Webster 1988), however, their thickened shafts and expanded split-ends place them in a different morphological class with a longer chronology that extends into the 11th century (see, for example, the series from Winchester in Hinton 1990c). Other iron strap-ends dating to the Mid-Late Saxon period found closer to Flixborough, at Riby, Lincs. (Ottaway 1994, fig. 15, no. 70) and 16–22 Coppergate, York (Ottaway 1992, nos 3789–93), bear little relation to this example.
FIG. 1.6. Tin-plated iron strap-ends. Scale 1:1.
Catalogue (FIG. 1.6)
All have a ‘mouth’ at one end which gripped the strap with assistance of a single rivet. All are plated.
85 |
Made from a folded plate, both arms of which are narrowed towards the ‘mouth’ where they have a pierced, rounded terminal, rivet in situ. Two grooves on each arm immediately below the terminal. Plating is tin-lead. Mineralised leather within. L.32, W.10mm |
86 |
Tapers from mouth to tip. Central part has incised diagonal grooves. Terminal is a simplified animal head. Plating is tin-lead. L.45, W.9mm (FIG. 1.6) |
87 |
Iron strap-end in a heavily corroded condition, broken across its split-end so its rivet holes are missing. The central panel, which tapers slightly towards the terminal, carries incised decoration consisting of a lattice pattern enclosed within outer borders. The stylised zoomorphic terminal has faceted eyes and is decorated on its brow and squared-off snout with a pair of confronted incised triangles. Plating is tin-lead. L.36.9mm, W.7.9mm, Th.2mm. (FIG. 1.6) |
88 |
One face has a lobe at each end, and between them a channel with a groove on each side. Plating is tin. L.28, W.14mm |
89 |
Tapers from mouth to tip. Incised grooves across lower half of one face. Plating is tin. L.45, W.10mm (FIG. 1.6) |
by Gabor Thomas
The hooked tag, another common class of Anglo-Saxon ornamental metalwork represented at Flixborough, enjoyed a long period of usage extending from the 7th to 11th centuries. Under the simplest classification based upon the shape of their attachment plates, hooked tags can be divided into two principal morphological groups, sub-circular or sub-triangular, leaving a small number of shield-lozenge-and diamond-shaped variants such as no. 99 (RF 3408). Whereas the sub-triangular form is the first to enter the repertoire during the late 7th to 8th centuries, as attested by their discovery in ‘final phase’ burials (see Geake 1997), the sub-circular form represents a later, possibly late 8th-century, adaptation. Both groups remained fashionable for the remainder of the period, although the popularity of sub-circular examples with small attachment plates increased during the 10th and 11th centuries. This pattern is to some extent reflected in the Flixborough assemblage; in contrast to a fairly uniform temporal distribution of sub-triangular examples, three of its four stratified sub-circular examples are derived from 10th-century or later contexts.
Hooked tags are considerably plainer than contemporary strap-ends; the majority are of sheet-metal construction and carry simple punched or incised decoration on their attachment plates. Elaborate silver examples with projecting attachment-lugs and niello-inlaid Trewhiddle-style decoration date to the 9th and 10th centuries (Graham-Campbell 1982; Blair 1992; Webster and Backhouse 1991, nos 196–200; Farley 1991); a recently published chip-carved example from Ipswich, Suffolk, suggests that similarly ornate examples were also made during the second half of the 8th century (West 1998, fig. 97.5).
The distribution of hooked tags, which is broadly comparable to that of Late Anglo-Saxon strap-ends, is similarly widespread in central, southern and eastern England. North of the Humber, however, they are scarcer, the most northerly find-spot to date being the Viking cemetery at Carlisle Cathedral, Cumbria (Keevil 1989, fig. 2, no. 1). Several examples have also been found on the continent; a handful from southern Sweden, Norway and Denmark may represent Scandinavian copies made during the 11th century (Weber 1987, 106, fig. 4; Graham-Campbell and Okasha 1991, 224).
Unlike strap-ends, which were secured using riveted split-ends, hooked tags were sewn into position via two or more holes, or perforated lugs. Hinton has suggested that the indented or scalloped upper edges of some hooked tags may have helped to secure the attachment thread in place (Hinton 1990e, 548). As to function, it is likely that the popularity of hooked tags, like contemporary strap-ends, lay in their multipurpose use, although their delicate proportions suggest they would have been best suited to fastening silk ribbons and other light materials associated with costume and dress-accessories, a suggestion that is also supported by the burial evidence. Grave finds have been discovered both singly and in pairs, and in association with different parts of the skeleton (see Geake in Volume 1, Ch. 8.1). Whereas most pairs, including the fine example from Cathedral Green, Winchester (Hants.), have been found next to the individual’s knees, and are thus best interpreted as garter fastenings (Webster and Backhouse 1991, no. 200), the function of singletons, which are usually, though not exclusively, associated with the pelvic region is more obscure (see Griffiths 1987–8, 45–6). One suggestion, which follows the interpretation of the silver pairs from the Tetney (Lincs.) and the Forum, Rome, coin-hoards is that they were used to close money-bags held or suspended from the waist (Graham-Campbell and Okasha 1991, 225). In greater numbers they may have also served more robust functions, for example, fastening the hems of garments together in a similar fashion to the modern-day hook-and-eye, as has been suggested for the five associated examples from Shakenoak, Oxon. (Dickinson 1973, 116–17).
Flixborough has hooked tags made of copper-alloy, iron and silver, a range that is elsewhere restricted to urban settlements including Winchester (Hinton 1990e), and Anglo-Scandinavian York (Ottaway 1992; Mainman and Rogers 2000). There is some correlation between the metal chosen and the form of the Flixborough series; whereas its iron examples are predominantly sub-circular, the majority of its non-ferrous examples are sub-triangular.
Nos 90 and 91 (RFs 1816 and 11967), the most ornate of Flixborough’s hooked tags, are both reworked from objects of 8th-century origin. The gilded, chip-carved decoration which characterises these pieces (PL. 1.5), as well as other ornamental metalwork from Flixborough, including the disc-brooch (no. 25) and pins nos 565 and 677, is a hallmark of 8th-century ornamental metalwork (Wilson 1964, 10–21). Stylistically, the delicate, fine-meshed, interlace shared by the two tags is also a diagnostic feature of 8th-century Anglo-Saxon ornamental metalwork, and may be readily contrasted with the more restrained patterns and broader interlace strands which characterise metalwork of a later period, as for example, one of Flixborough’s strap-ends, no. 52 (RF 14022).
While in each case only a small and indeterminable fraction of the original decoration survives on the two pieces, an attempt can be made at refining this attribution through stylistic analysis, commencing with the zoomorphic decoration on the larger tag, no. 90 (RF 1816; PL. 1.5). The looping animal at the apex can be interpreted as a simplified version of a family of profiled beasts known as ‘bipeds’ which regularly appear on gilded, chip-carved metalwork dating to the 8th century, although the norm is for them to be depicted in confronted or affronted pairings (see Tweddle 1992, 1156–7; Budny and Graham-Campbell 1981). Some details displayed by the Flixborough animal, including the neck collar, the restrained use of surface punching, and the manner in which the animal’s limbs pierce its own body, a technique referred to as ‘penetration’ by T. D. Kendrick (1938, 145), represent recurrent traits within this stylistic horizon (e.g. Webster in Webster and Backhouse 1991, nos 177, 183 and 184). The scroll at the base of the animal’s jaw is another stylistic trope used during this period and occurs in a similar position, though in a more developed spiral form, on the animal-head terminals on the bow of a copper-alloy key from Gloucester (ibid., no. 176), a silver-gilt animal-headed fitting from the River Thames, near Westminster Bridge, London (ibid., no. 179) and on the animals on the eyebrows and nasal of the Coppergate Helmet (see Tweddle 1992, 1133–48). More unusual is the animal’s tightly encircled neck and body, adapted to fit the tapering confines of the object, and ‘pivoting’ hip, features which are paralleled on a zoomorphic chip-carved mount from Bishopstone, East Sussex (Thomas forthcoming). The flattened, elongated, head, meanwhile, recalls the pair of confronted animals on a disc-headed pin from St Mary’s Abbey, York, attributed to c.900 (Webster in Webster and Backhouse 1991, no. 183).
With regard to overall handling of the composition, a possible chronological indicator is the lack of interplay between the animal and the interlace, a feature which is best paralleled on artistic media dating to the second half of the 8th century (Tweddle 1992, 1159). Generally, on material of an earlier 8th-century date, animals play a more integral role within the interlacing patterns and in many cases the distinction between the animal’s attenuated bodies and strands of interlace is indicated by differing widths or surface treatment, rather than their placement within the field. Taken together, the detailing of the animal and the interlace and their spatial relationship within the overall pattern suggest a date in the second half of the 8th century for the original decoration.
On the other reworked tag, what little of the original decoration survives indicates that it incorporated fine-textured looping interlace similar to that used on the above. An additional feature of chronological significance is a rounded foliate bud in the top left-hand corner of the field which is used as a terminal to one of the strands of interlace. The provision of vegetal appendages to either interlace or animals is another stylistic idiom which emerged during the late 8th century (see Budny and Graham-Campbell 1981, 11) and occurs on many major pieces of contemporary metalwork such as the Witham pins (Webster and Backhouse 1991, no. 183) and the Fetter Lane sword hilt (from Fetter Lane, London; ibid., no. 173).
One feature which characterises several of Flixborough’s non-ferrous hooked tags, including nos 94, 99 and 101–2 (RFs 6506, 346, 3403 and 12752), is the elaboration of the sides of the plate, immediately above the hook, with pairs of nicks or indentations. This feature is best interpreted as a stylisation of the zoomorphic hooks which appear on some finer silver Trewhiddle-style hooked tags (e.g. Graham-Campbell 1982, fig. 2, no. 2; West 1998, fig. 132. 7), and a bone motif-piece found at Seal House, 106–8 Thames Street, London (Pritchard 1991, fig. 206). Such elaborate hooks are drawn from the same repertoire as the animal heads used on contemporary strap-ends and are indicative of a 9th-century date.
In addition to their vestigial animal-headed hooks and scalloped plates, the non-ferrous hooked tags from Flixborough display a range of surface decoration. Nos 103–4 (RFs 6127 and 13067), the only sub-circular examples made of copper-alloy, are very closely related, though the comparatively crude execution of no. 104 suggests they were unlikely to have been worn as a pair. Both have pierced attachment lugs, a feature common on finer Trewhiddle-style examples made of silver, and engraved decoration consisting of an inner circular field occupied by ‘spokes’ enclosed by a billeted or ‘cabled’ outer border. The engraved patterns are in both cases inlaid with a chalky white material, most probably degraded enamel, a decorative technique recognised on some of Flixborough’s strap-ends, including nos 55 and 58 (RFs 100 and 3744). Near-identical hooked tags, though apparently without an enamel inlay, have found at Hamwic (Hinton 1996, fig. 4, 32/170), Brandon, Suffolk (SF BRD 018 2552), and Wellington Row, York (Moulden et al. 1999).
Basic types such as nos 96 and 97 (RFs 6653 and 12777), elaborated with incised outer borders, in the latter instance in association with continuously nicked outer edges, can be widely paralleled, as, for example, by the hooked tags from the north-east bailey of Norwich Castle, Norfolk (Margeson and Williams 1985, fig. 24, no. 5), and Whitby, North Yorks. (Peers and Radford 1943, fig. 12, no. 10). A slightly more elaborate example, no. 98 (RF 6439), has intersecting double-contoured borders with additional incised detail on its hook.
The decoration on no. 99 (RF 3403) is also fairly simple, being restricted to pairs of concentric grooves which encircle its attachment holes. Beyond Flixborough, such decoration occurs on tags of both the sub-circular and sub-triangular variety, examples of the former have been found at Hereford (Shoesmith 1985, fig. 4, no. 6), and the latter at Thetford (A. R. Goodall 1984, fig. 111, nos 32–3) and Middle Harling, Norfolk (Margeson 1995a, fig. 39, nos 35–7).
Punched ring-and-dot decoration was very popular on this class of fitting and can be found on three of Flixborough’s hooked tags. No. 100 (RF 10786) carries a single centrally placed motif, with additional ‘rings’ around its attachment holes, whereas on both nos 101 and 102 (RFs 346 and 6506), which are likely to have formed a pair despite their discovery in different contexts, three appear side-by-side in a vertical row. An identical arrangement of ring-and-dots reappears on hooked tags from Cottam, East Riding of Yorkshire (Haldenby 1994, fig. 3, no. 3), and Brandon, Suffolk (sf BRD 018 4322), while the unusual provision of three attachment holes is paralleled by the silver Trewhiddle-style duo from a grave on the Cathedral Green, Winchester, Hants. (Webster and Backhouse 1991, no. 200).
Three of Flixborough’s hooked tags have undecorated plates, including a silver example, no. 92 (RF 375), which is closely related to the plain silver pair from the Tetney hoard (Lincs.), dated by associated coins to before 970 (Wilson 1964, nos 86–7).
Flixborough’s significant total of 10 iron hooked tags, the greatest number recorded from a single site and covering both sub-circular and sub-triangular varieties, is an important reminder that dress-accessories may be under-represented at other Mid-Late Anglo-Saxon settlements with harsher depositional environments. In common with their non-ferrous counterparts, some of the iron hooked tags have scalloped upper edges, while no. 112 (RF 4255), has rudimentary decoration comprising a punched central boss and an incised outer border, also seen on copper-alloy examples from Middle Harling, Norfolk (Margeson 1995a, fig. 39, no. 42) and 16–22 Coppergate, York (Mainman and Rogers 2000, fig. 1273, no. 10436). Elsewhere the embellishment of iron hook-tags is restricted to surface applications of gilt or tin which may also have served as protective coatings; see, for example, the sub-circular hooked tag from St Oswald’s, Gloucester (MacGregor 1999, 136, fig. 3.14, no. 42).
A number of anomalous characteristics including its scalloped oval form, thin curving profile, rectangular attachment slots and simplified repoussé decoration set no. 115 (RF 2198) apart from the general series of Anglo-Saxon hooked tags. The closest parallel for this tag is as a thin copper-alloy plate from Ipswich, Suffolk, of similar dimensions and also decorated with repoussé billeting around its edges (West 1998, 68, fig. 96, no. 20). While the exact function of the Ipswich plate remains unequivocal, due to the lack of a hook, possibly through breakage, its possession of three circular attachment holes together with a larger sub-triangular perforation through the middle of the plate, suggest that had a similar function to the traditional form of hooked tag. In advance of further parallels coming to light, it is advisable to keep an open mind on the date of this newly identified type of hooked fastener.
At face value, the total of 27 hooked tags from Flixborough appears more impressive than that of its strap-ends, given that the next most productive sites, excluding those with manufacturing evidence in the form of unfinished plates (see below), are Winchester (Hants.), with 22, Middle Harling (Norfolk), with 16, and Barham (Suffolk) with 12. However, as stated above, the comparative contribution of perishable iron hooked tags to these totals suggests that Flixborough’s pre-eminence may be partly linked to exceptional post-depositional conditions.
Although the evidence is more equivocal than for urban sites in Lincoln (Hall 1981, G3 and 4) and Thetford, Norfolk (A. R. Goodall 1984, fig. 111, nos 34–9), where unfinished plates from the manufacturing process have been discovered, the reworked hooked tags nos 90 and 91 (RFs 1816 and 11967) strongly hint at on-site production. The same may be said of the series of iron examples in light of the unprecedented range of evidence for ferrous metalworking at Flixborough. On-site production may have been supplemented by hooked tags imported from regional production/re-distribution centres, one possibility in view of its proximity and direct evidence for hooked tag production, being Lincoln.
Catalogue (FIGS 1.7 and 1.8; PLS 1.3 and 1.5)
90. |
Silver-gilt hooked tag consisting of a sub-triangular plate terminating in a hook. The plate, which is scalloped at its upper edge, is pierced by a pair of circular attachment holes and decorated on its front face with a chip-carved zoomorphic interlace design. Placed at the apex is a profiled animal with an attenuated body which curves round in a tightly closed loop, its tail passing back through the animal’s open jaws to terminate in a dotted lobe at the apex of the tag. The animal features a long flattened head with a dotted eye and long jaws which terminate in a small scroll at their rear. Opposite the head, behind a collared neck, a leg, which is bent and dotted at the ankle, and a pointed wing? (or possibly another leg), pierce the animal’s body as they diverge outwards from a central ‘pivoted’ dotted hip. The ankle and wing-tip of the animal rest against a fine-meshed interlace pattern which loops across the rest of the tag in a haphazard fashion to its upper edge. |
91 |
Gilt copper-alloy hooked tag consisting of a sub-triangular plate terminating in a hook. The left-hand and upper edges of the plate maintain the borders of the original gilt, chip-carved object from which the tag was cut. Elsewhere the decoration on the plate has been truncated by the cutting of its right-hand edge and by the pair of circular attachment holes located towards its upper edge. The surviving interlace design incorporates finely-meshed looping strands, one of which terminates in a tear-shaped sub-foliate leaf in the top left-hand corner of the plate. The back is plain and ungilded. L.11.7mm, W.11.4mm, 0.65mm. (FIG. 1.7) |
92 |
Silver hooked tag with a sub-triangular plate which has slight corner protrusions and indented nicks at its upper edge. The plate is pierced by a pair of small circular attachment holes and the tip of the hook is missing. L.24.6mm, W.13.4mm, Th.0.2mm. (FIG. 1.7) |
Copper-alloy hooked tag consisting of an elongated sub-triangular plate terminating in a hook. The plate is pierced toward its scalloped upper edge by a pair of circular attachment holes. The plate is otherwise undecorated. L.24mm, W.9.8mm, Th.0.35mm. |
|
94 |
Copper-alloy hooked tag consisting of a shield-shaped plate terminating in a hook. The plate is pierced by a pair of circular attachment holes towards its upper edge. Above the hook the sides of the plate have small oval protuberances, possibly representing the eyes of a stylised animal head. Very fine tooling-marks are evident on its front surface. L.20.8mm, W.12.6mm, Th.0.3mm. (FIG. 1.7) |
95 |
Copper-alloy hooked tag consisting of a sub-triangular plate terminating in a hook. The plate is pierced towards its upper edge by a pair of circular attachment holes with bevelled edges. The plate is otherwise undecorated and fine tooling marks are evident on its surface. L.18.7mm, W.11.1mm, Th.0.6mm. |
96 |
Copper-alloy hooked tag consisting of a sub-triangular plate terminating in a short hook. The plate, which is pierced by a pair of circular attachment holes, has a scalloped upper edge with a central sub-triangular projection and a pair of delicate ear-like lobes which extend diagonally from each corner. Its tapering sides, which are slightly concave, are decorated with a pair of incised borders which form an apex at the top of the hook. The back is plain. L.31.7mm, W.15.8mm, Th.0.45mm. (FIG. 1.7) |
97 |
Copper-alloy hooked tag comprising a triangular-shaped plate terminating in a hook. The plate is pierced towards its upper edge with a pair of circular attachment holes. Both of its tapering sides are decorated with closely spaced diagonal edge nicks and an inner incised border. Fine tooling-marks are evident on its front surface. L.23.5mm, W.16.1mm, Th.0.2mm. (FIG. 1.7) |
98 |
Copper-alloy hooked tag consisting of a sub-triangular plate, broken across its upper edge so the attachment holes are missing, terminating in a hook. The surface of the plate is decorated with pairs of incised double borders, comprising two along its tapering sides, intersected by a third transverse example above the hook. Four more paired transverse grooves are located at the junction between the plate and the hook, and at regular intervals lower down the hook-shank; the lower groove of the third pair being bounded by three shorter perpendicular grooves. The back is plain. L.24.3mm, W.11.6mm, Th.0.7mm. (FIG. 1.7) |
99 |
Copper-alloy hooked tag consisting of an asymmetrical, diamond-shaped plate terminating in a hook. The plate is pierced by a pair of bevelled, circular attachment holes enclosed on both surfaces by pairs of incised or punched concentric grooves, of which those on the front overlap centrally. The tag is also decorated with three edge notches in the vicinity of the attachment holes and, immediately above the hook, with a pair of sub-rectangular protuberances, possibly representing the eyes of a stylised animal head. L.22mm W.11.5mm, Th.0.9mm. (FIG. 1.7) |
100 |
Copper-alloy hooked tag consisting of a sub-triangular plate terminating in a hook. The plate is pierced by three circular attachment holes, a pair towards its upper edge, and a third placed centrally below. Each of the holes is enclosed within a punched ‘ring’ and the junction between the plate and the hook is marked by three parallel transverse incisions. The back is plain. L.27.9mm, W.14.2mm, Th.0.5mm. (FIG. 1.7) |
101 |
Copper-alloy hooked tag with a triangular plate pierced towards its upper edge with three regularly spaced circular attachment holes. The front of the plate is decorated with a central column of three punched ring-and-dots, the upper two of which have pierced the thickness of the metal. Two incised transverse lines define the beginnings of the hook, which is emphasised further by two diagonal nicks either side of the shank above the bend. L.29.9mm, W.17.1mm, Th.0.2mm. (FIG. 1.7) |
102 |
Copper-alloy hooked tag comprising a sub-triangular plate terminating in a hook. The plate is pierced towards its upper edge by three regularly spaced circular attachment holes and is decorated on its front surface with a central column of three punched ring-and-dots, the central one of which has pierced the thickness of the metal. Two incised transverse lines define the beginnings of the hook, which is emphasised further by two diagonal nicks either side of the shank. The back is plain. L.30.1mm, W.18mm, Th.0.3mm. (FIG. 1.7) |
103 |
Copper-alloy hooked tag consisting of a sub-circular plate terminating in a hook. The plate has a pair of pierced attachment-lugs and a central triangular protrusion at its upper edge, though damage has reduced the right-hand lug to a stub. Its front surface is decorated with incised decoration consisting of a central circular field of short radiating spokes enclosed within an outer concentric billeted border. Remains of a chalky-white inlay, most likely corroded enamel, survive within the incisions of the central motif. The hook is complete; the back is plain. L.23.4mm, W.15.2mm, Th.0.2mm. (FIG. 1.7) |
104 |
Copper-alloy hooked tag consisting of a sub-circular plate terminating in a hook. The former has a pair of pierced attachment-lugs and a central triangular protrusion at its upper edge. Its front face is decorated with incised decoration consisting of a central circular field of short radiating spokes enclosed within an outer concentric billeted border. Remains of a chalky-white inlay, most likely corroded enamel, survive within the incisions of the central motif. The back is plain. L.25.7mm, W.15.2mm, Th.0.2mm. (FIG. 1.7) |
105 |
Plain iron hooked tag consisting of a sub-circular plate terminating in a hook. The plate is pierced towards its upper edge by a pair of circular attachment holes; the surface is badly corroded. L.22mm, W.14.2mm, Th.1.1mm. (FIG. 1.8) |
106 |
Iron hooked tag consisting of a sub-circular plate terminating in a hook. The plate is pierced a pair of circular attachment holes, both partially obscured by corrosion. Decoration is restricted to a single scallop at the plate’s upper edge. L.22.6mm, W.13.4mm, Th.1.8mm. (FIG. 1.8) |
107 |
Iron hooked tag consisting of a sub-circular plate terminating in a hook, the tip of which is missing. The upper edge of the plate is scalloped and heavily corroded, so that the surface of the metal including the attachment holes are obscured. L.21.4mm, W.16.5mm, Th.1.1mm. |
108 |
Iron hooked tag comprising a sub-circular plate terminating in a hook, the tip of which is missing. The plate is pierced towards its upper edge by a pair of attachment holes. Corrosion has obscured the surface of the metal. L.25.9mm, W.18.2mm, Th.0.7mm. |
109 |
Plain iron hooked tag comprising a sub-circular plate terminating in a hook. The plate, which is heavily corroded, is pierced towards its upper edge by a pair of circular attachment holes. L.23.9, W.18.5mm, Th.0.75mm. |
Iron hooked tag consisting of a sub-circular plate terminating in a hook. Corrosion has obscured the surface of the metal including the attachment holes. L.26mm, W.15mm, Th.0.8mm. |
|
111 |
Iron hooked tag consisting of a sub-circular plate terminating in a hook, the tip of which is missing. The plate is pierced towards the upper edge by a pair of circular attachment holes. Corrosion has obscured the surface of the metal. L.21.1mm, W.17.1mm, Th.1.9mm. |
112 |
Iron hooked tag, damaged across its sub-triangular plate so that its attachment holes are missing. The plate, which terminates in a hook, is decorated with an incised outer border and a central hollow boss punched from the back. The surface is heavily corroded. L.22.6mm, W.11.1mm, Th.1.1mm. (FIG. 1.8) |
113 |
Iron hooked tag consisting of a sub-triangular plate terminating in a hook, the tip of which is missing. The plate is pierced towards its upper edge by a single centrally-placed circular attachment hole. Corrosion has obscured the surface of the metal. L.27.8mm, W.11.7mm, Th.0.9mm |
114 |
Iron hooked tag comprising an elongated sub-triangular plate terminating in a pinched-out hook, now bent out of place. The original attachment holes have been lost due to a breakage across the top of the plate. Corrosion has obscured the surface of the iron, although an incised border is evident at the left-hand edge of the plate. L.33.1mm, W.13.9mm, Th.1mm. |
115 |
Copper-alloy hooked tag consisting of a scalloped oval plate of curving profile terminating in a hook, the tip of which is missing. The plate is pierced by a pair of rectangular slots, placed one above the other within a plain oval border. The uppermost and larger of the slots interrupts the upper edge of the border suggesting that it could be a secondary feature. The scalloped areas surrounding the attachment slots are decorated with transverse bands of repoussé billeting. L.20.1mm, W.14.2mm, Th.0.5mm. |
Fig. 1.7. Copper alloy and silver hooked tags. Scale 1:1.
Fig. 1.8. Iron hooked tags. Scale 1:1.
1.4 Buckles
by Nicola Rogers and Patrick Ottaway
Non-ferrous buckles and other belt fittings
by Nicola Rogers, with contributions by
Glynis Edwards† and Jacqui Watson
BIG. 1.9)
The oval frame is the commonest form found on the Flixborough non-ferrous buckles, which are remarkably uniform in shape, although varying slightly in size and detail. Three (nos 118–20: RFs 3135, 468 and 14029) have decorative rectangular plates; the upper plate on no. 118 (RF 3135) – which was recovered from a Phase 4ii ditch fill – has incised lines, as does no. 120 (RF 14029), which also has notched edges, while no. 119 (RF 468) has been gilded. No. 119 (RF 468) was found in topsoil, while no. 120 (RF 14029) was unstratified. Similar buckles have been found in numerous Saxon cemeteries including Uncleby, East Yorks. (Leeds 1936, 98–100, pl. XXVII, no. 37), and Burwell, Cambridgeshire (Lethbridge 1931, 18, fig. 14D; 30, fig. 13D), and on many Middle-Saxon sites such as Barham in Suffolk (West 1998, 6–8, fig. 4). An assemblage from Coddenham, another Middle-Saxon site in Suffolk contained a large number (op. cit., 20–1, fig. 20).
Both no. 116 (RF 3036) and no. 121 (RF 12522) are oval buckles, with tapering buckle plates with rounded ends. No. 116 (RF 3036) has a pin with a tip which has been simply faceted to form the eyes and snout of an animal head. Marzinzik notes that this form is 6th- to 7th-century in date, and is found mainly in East Anglia and the East Midlands (Marzinzik 2007, 48–9). No. 116 (RF 3036) was found in a Phase 2i–4ii ditch fill, but no. 121 was unstratified.
The undecorated no. 117 (RF 2881) also has tapering plates. Also likely to be of Early–Middle Saxon date, no. 119 (RF 468) was found in topsoil, while no. 120 (RF 14029) was unstratified.
Another unstratified oval buckle no. 122 (RF 836) has decoratively shaped plates which suggest it may have been made to pair with a strap-end; the buckle plate tip has a well-defined stylised animal head with deeply moulded ears around a rivet, with eyes and snout defined by triangular notches.
Of a very different form from the oval-framed buckles, no. 123 (RF 1912) has a circular loop and an integral plate with a large rectangular slot; it was recovered from Phase 6iii (mid–late 10th to early 11th-century) dark soil. Buckles with integral plates have been found elsewhere in Mid–Late Saxon contexts, for example at Barham, Suffolk (West 1998, 7, fig. 4, no. 21), and 10th- to 11th-century deposits at Winchester (Hinton 1990a, 507), but the type may go on into the medieval period; an example very similar to no. 123 (RF 1912) was found in Canterbury in a medieval (12th–15th century) pit (Blockley et al., 1995, 1048, fig. 446, no. 520).
Buckle plates (FIG. 1.9)
These are easily detached from their companion buckles, and, unless highly decorated, are unlikely to be very datable. The majority of the plates from Flixborough derive from 8th- to 9th-century dumps (no. 124: RF 7222) or ditch fills (nos 125–8: RFs 241, 6099, 11207 and 12754). No. 125 has been decorated with punched dots, and nos 124 and 127–8, and also the unstratified no. 129 (RF 12784), all have decoratively notched ends. This decorative notching bears some resemblance to that found on some triangular hooked tags and strap-ends (see for example Peers and Radford 1943, 56–8, fig. 11; 60, fig. 12, no. 10), which would indicate a possibly 9th-century date for these plates. Another possible buckle plate fragment, also with decorative notching, is the unstratified no. 130 (RF 13616).
FIG. 1.9. Copper alloy buckles and buckle plate. Scale 1:1.
Nos 131–3 (RFs 744, 7361 and 7964) are fragmentary undecorated plates; nos 132–3 are unstratified, while no. 131 was found in Phase 6iii (mid–late 10th–early 11th century) dark soil.
Buckle pin
A buckle or brooch pin (no. 134; RF 6316) was recovered from a Phase 5a dump, and has notched decoration at the tip, recalling the decorated pin tip on buckle no. 116 (see above, RF 3036).
(?) Strap plate
No. 135 (RF 13481) is a rectangular plate, with rivet holes along the long sides, which was found in a Phase 5a–6ii pit. Its function is uncertain, but it is likely to be one of a pair of plates riveted together, perhaps on each side of a strap, and possibly to join two pieces of strap (Egan and Pritchard 1991, 226–7, fig. 141). A pair of plates found in Ipswich had the remains of a third plate riveted to one of the pair (West 1998, 56, fig. 68, no. 17).
Suspension loops (FIG. 1.10)
Of five non-ferrous suspension loops found, two (nos 136–7: RFs 12452 and 12263) were unstratified, the other three (nos 138–40; RFs 6241, 10943 and 11210) all coming from Phase 4ii (mid-9th century) dumps or ditch fill; nos 139–40 were retrieved from the same ditch fill as buckle plate fragments nos 127–8. There is little doubt that these objects, sometimes made of iron, were used to hang personal items from belts or girdles; in the Anglo-Saxon cemetery at Holywell, Suffolk, such fittings were found with the remains of a leather case or pouch (Lethbridge 1931, 39, fig. 18, B3), while in a grave at Burwell, Cambridgeshire, they were associated with a chatelaine (op. cit., 65, fig. 33, 8). In a male burial at Dunstable, Bedfordshire, a knife had lost its sheath, but three suspension loops survived; these had evidently attached the sheath to a belt (Matthews 1962, 30, fig. 2, 2). These have also been found in later contexts; two iron fittings were found in late 8th-century deposits at Fishergate, York (Rogers 1993a, 1352–3, fig. 653, nos 5050, 5052), and it seems probable that the Flixborough fittings are just slightly later in date, particularly as two of the fittings (nos 139–40; RFs 10943 and 11210) are from the same context as two buckle plates (nos 127–8; RFs 11207 and 12754), thought to be 9th century in date (see above).
Suspension rings
Miscellaneous copper alloy rings were found in deposits of Period 2 onwards (nos 142–56) and unstratified (nos 157–65). No. 141 (RF 5048) is an unstratified silver ring. All are of a remarkably similar size, ranging in diameter from c. 15mm (no. 159) to c. 25mm (no. 147), the majority being 18–23mm. The majority are likely to have acted as suspension rings for accessories on belts, hanging objects such as keys (see Ch. 5 below: nos 1953–4: RFs 3776, 3820), toilet implements such as tweezers (see below nos 215 and 217: RFs 10148 and 10217) and ear scoops (see below no. 230: RF 5943), and other personal items such as knives or hones.
(?) Belt fitting
Also unstratified, and made of silver with possible gilding, no. 166 (RF 2971) is a narrow tube formed from rolled sheet with slightly projecting edges. Much larger tubes with projecting plates appear to have been used by the Romans on belts (Hawkes and Dunning 1961, 66–8, fig. 1, no. 3). Unlike no. 166, however, the Roman examples have rivet-holes on the projecting plates for attachment; if no. 166 were used as some type of belt fitting, its means of attachment is unclear.
(Dimensions are in mm. L. = length; W. = width; Th. = thickness; Diam. = diameter)
Buckles (FIG. 1.9)
116 |
Copper alloy oval frame of sub-square section, pin looped through rectangular slot in tapering buckle plates with rounded ends, tip of pin notched and faceted to form stylised animal head, with incised line decoration above, plates with single copper alloy rivet, with traces of fine-spun threads between plates. Frame L.7.8 W.13.5 Section W.2.4 Th.2.1 Plates L.13.5 W.8.7 Th.0.8. (FIG. 1.9) |
117 |
Copper alloy oval frame of sub-circular section, (? iron) pin survives, tapering plates with one copper alloy rivet at lower end. Frame L. 7.3 W. 13.7 Section Diam. 2.3 Plates L.11.5, W.10, Th.0.7 |
118 |
Copper alloy oval frame, of sub-triangular section, broken at point where missing pin would have looped, upper face notched where pin tip lay, lower face faceted at that point; rectangular buckle plates with rectangular slot for pin, two iron rivets at lower end, upper face decorated with two broad rectangular fields flanking narrow central one defined by incised lines. Frame L.9 W.19.2. Section W.1.4 Th.2 Plates L.24, W.13.3, Th.1.1. (FIG. 1.9) |
119 |
Copper alloy frame sub-oval, of sub-rectangular section; rectangular buckle plate with rectangular slot for pin, copper alloy rivet in situ, gilding on plates and pin. Frame L. 13.4 W. 17.6 Section W.2.1, Th.2.6 Plates L.18.6, W.13.1, Th.0.8. (FIG. 1.9) |
120 |
Copper alloy oval frame of sub-circular section, pin faceted at upper end; rectangular buckle plates with scalloped ends, decorated with incised lines below pin, edges decorated with notches, (?copper alloy) rivet in situ. Slight fibrous traces between plates. Frame L.9 W.16 Th.2.2 Plates L.15 W.10.9 Th.0.8 |
121 |
Copper alloy oval frame of sub-circular section, with decorative faceting along upper face and at tip of pin; tapering buckle plates with rounded ends, rectangular slot for pin, single rivet. L.9.4 W.11.7 Section Diam. 1.8 Plates L.16.2 W.8, Th.0.5. (FIG. 1.9) |
Copper alloy strap-end buckle, oval frame broken at point at which pin now missing would have looped; notched for pin tip. Sub-triangular buckle plate with deep rectangular slot for pin, tapering to end which has stylised animal-head terminal with rounded deeply moulded ears on either side of copper alloy rivet; triangular notched eyes below, and triangular notched nose at tip, edges also notched, reverse undecorated. Frame L.10, W.16.2 Section W.2.3 Th.2.5 Plates L.25.5 W.8, T.2.2. (FIG. 1.9) |
|
123 |
Copper alloy circular frame of sub-triangular section with integral rectangular attachment loop, groove on frame where pin tip sat; pin now missing. L.25.9. Frame diam. 19.8. Attachment loop W.13 Section W.3.3 Th. 2.7. (FIG. 1.9) |
Fig. 1.10. Copper alloy suspension loops and suspension rings, and iron buckles and belt fittings. Scale 1:1.
Buckle plates (FIG. 1.9) |
|
124 |
Copper alloy fragment, half only, broken at looped end, rectangular slot for pin, two rivet holes at lower end, one retaining rivet, decorative notching along lower edge. L.19, W.13.6, Th.0.6. (FIG. 1.9) |
125 |
Copper alloy fragment, sub-rectangular, broken at looped end, punched perforation close to other end, axial line of punched dots on upper face. L.16.3, W.11.3, Th.1.4 |
126 |
Copper alloy fragment, both ends broken, upper end across rectangular slot for pin. L.23.8 W.11.9 Th.1 |
127 |
Copper alloy fragment, broken across loop, sub-rectangular slot for pin, two rivet holes at lower end which has decorative triangular notch. L.15, W.10.3 Th.0.8 |
128 |
Copper alloy sub-rectangular buckle plate, with sub-rectangular slot for pin, single rivet hole at lower end, decorative triangular notch to each side of rivet along lower edge. L.19, W.11.4 Th.3.3 |
129 |
Copper alloy end fragment, two rivet-holes, decorative triangular cut-out between rivet-holes. L.14.3, W.15.8, Th.0.7 |
130 |
Copper alloy (?) plate fragment, irregularly shaped, of plano-convex section, one end broken across rectangular perforation, tapering slightly to other end broken across circular perforation, edges with decorative triangular notches. L.10.5 W.9, Th.1.3 |
131 |
Copper alloy fragment, sub-triangular, broken at upper end across rectangular slot for pin, three rivet-holes. L.16.3, W.10, Th.0.5 |
132 |
Copper alloy fragment, rectangular, broken across looped end, rectangular slot for pin, single rivet hole towards lower end. L.24.6 W.10.1 Th.1.6 |
133 |
Copper alloy fragment, one end broken across rectangular slot for pin, single rivet hole towards lower end which is also broken. L.11.3 W.9.8 Th.1.1 |
Buckle or brooch pin |
|
134 |
Copper alloy buckle or brooch pin of plano-convex section, shallow notches on sides and underside at tip. L.14.5, W.2.4, Th.2 |
(?) Strap plate |
|
135 |
Copper alloy sub-rectangular (?) strap plate, with three equally spaced rivet-holes along long edges, two containing copper alloy rivet fragments. L.28.2, W.11.7, Th.0.7 |
Suspension loops (FIG. 1.10) |
|
136 |
Copper alloy ring of circular section, ends flattened and expanded into sub-rectangular plates, with two rivet holes; one plate broken across second hole, decorative notches at top of plates. L.21.8 Plates W.5.7, Th.1.4. Loop Diam. 7.4 Section W.2.8 Th.2. (FIG. 1.10) |
137 |
Copper alloy ring of sub-circular section, passing through incomplete suspension loop with pair of plates, each with two rivets passing through black, fibrous organic material, possibly leather. Ring diam. 16.3 section 2.8. Plates L.17 W.5.5 |
138 |
Copper alloy ring of circular section, both ends flattened into rectangular plates, with two rivet holes on each; triangular notched decoration at lower end on one side. L.23.9. Plates W.4.9 Th.1 Loop Diam.8 Section 2.6. (FIG. 1.10) |
139 |
Copper alloy ring of plano-convex section, ends flattened and expanded into sub-rectangular plates, with single copper alloy rivet joining them; three decorative incised notches on each side of loop at upper end of plates. L.20.1 Plates W.6.7, Th.1.6 Loop Diam. 10.5. Section W.4, Th.3. (FIG. 1.10) |
140 |
Two copper alloy loops formed from sub-rectangular strips, with rounded ends folded widthways; ends joined by copper alloy rivet; rivet of one loop passes through second loop. Largest L.19.3 W.5.7 Th.1.1. (FIG. 1.10) |
Suspension rings (FIG. 1.10) |
|
141 |
Silver suspension ring of lozenge-shaped section, gilded. Diam. 19.9. Section W.1.5 Th. 1.4 |
142 |
Copper alloy hoop formed by riveting flattened ends together; of sub-square section, incised hatching and transverse lines to each side of iron rivet. Diam. 22.6. Section W.1.6 Th.1.9 |
143 |
Copper alloy oval, of sub-rectangular section, ends overlapped. L.19.6 W.15.9 |
144 |
Copper alloy, circular, of rectangular section. Diam. 19.4. Section W.0.8 Th.1.4 |
145 |
Copper alloy, circular, ends sprung apart, of sub-rectangular section. Diam. 18.4. Section W.1.4, Th. 2 |
146 |
Copper alloy, of rectangular section, distorted. L.25.2, W.13.1. Section W.0.9 Th.1.1 |
147 |
Copper alloy, of sub-circular section. Diam.24.9. Section Diam. 2.2 |
148 |
Copper alloy, sub-circular, of square section. Diam. 20.6. Section W.1, Th.1 |
149 |
Copper alloy, shape distorted, of sub-triangular section. L.25, W.12. Section W.1, Th.1.4 |
150 |
Copper alloy, sub-circular, of sub-rectangular section. Diam. 20.7. Section W.1.1, Th.1.4 |
151 |
Copper alloy, oval, of sub-square section. L.22.8, W.19.1. Section W.1.1, Th.1.3 |
152 |
Copper alloy, in four fragments, of rectangular section. Section W.0.7 Th.1.2 |
153 |
Copper alloy, of rectangular section. Diam. 20.9. Section W.1, Th.1.4 |
154 |
Copper alloy, oval, of sub-oval section. L.25, W.22.7. Section W.1.3, Th. 1.7 |
155 |
Copper alloy, of rectangular section. Diam. 19.8. Section W.0.9, Th. 1.2 |
156 |
Copper alloy, of rectangular section. Diam. 20.8. Section W.1.4, Th.0.9 |
157 |
Copper alloy, of rectangular section. Diam. 21.2. Section W.1.1 Th. 1.3 |
158 |
Copper alloy, of sub-circular section, distorted. L.23.6, W.13 Section diam. 1.1 |
159 |
Copper alloy, of lozenge-shaped section of irregular thickness. Diam. 14.8. Section W.1.9, Th.1.8. (FIG. 1.10) |
160 |
Copper alloy, distorted oval, of rectangular section. L.24, W.9.3. Section W.1.5, Th.0.8 |
161 |
Copper alloy, of sub-rectangular section. Diam. 20.2. Section W.1.4, Th.2.3 |
162 |
Copper alloy, of irregular width, decorated with oblique grooves alternately angled. Diam. 22. Section W.2.3, Th.1.2 |
163 |
Copper alloy, distorted. L.18, W.15.8. Section W.1.7, Th.1 |
164 |
Copper alloy, sub-circular, of irregular width. Diam. 20.5. Section W.1.6, Th.1 |
165 |
Copper alloy, of circular section. Diam. 18.5. Section Diam. 1.5 |
(?) Belt fitting |
|
166 |
Silver narrow tube formed from rolled sheet, with projecting edges, with possible gilding. L.44.4, W.5.9. Th.0.3. Diam of tube 2.4. (FIG. 1.10) |
Iron buckles and belt fittings
by Patrick Ottaway
Buckles (FIG. 1.10)
There are 38 iron buckles (17 unstratified) in varying states of completeness. The commonest form of frame, of which there are 24 examples, is oval or sub-oval. Nos 176 (RF 2772; Phase 5a) and 181 (RF 8361; Phase 6iii) are tin-plated, and the tongue of the former has three incised grooves at its head. Similar to the oval frames are two with straight sides and rounded ends: nos 198 (RF 8250; Phase 6iii) and 199 (RF 9862; Phase 6iii–7).
Eight buckles have D-shaped frames. No. 171 (RF 5252; Phase 4ii–5a) has a very corroded fragment of buckle-plate attached, and no. 170 (RF 1582; unstratified) is tin-plated. No. 172 (RF 9824; Phase 6iii–7) has leather, probably from belt loops, adhering to it.
Most of the buckles are small, but the largest (no. 196, RF 13675; Phase 2–4ii) which measures 34 × 58mm is comparable to the larger Anglo-Saxon buckles from elsewhere and may be from horse equipment rather than personal dress. There are two other relatively large buckles; one is D-shaped (no. 174, RF 12307; 36 × 46mm) and the other oval (no. 188, RF 12790: 14 × 70mm). Both are unstratified, but likely to be Anglo-Saxon.
All the buckle frame forms noted are well known in contexts of mid and late Anglo-Saxon date elsewhere. However, when compared with the assemblage of 61 buckles from Anglo-Scandinavian (mid 9th–mid 11th century) contexts at 16–22 Coppergate, York (Ottaway 1992, 681–4), it may be noted that, while all the frame forms found at Flixborough are found at Coppergate, the D-shaped buckle frames at the latter site make up almost 50% of the total, compared to 21% at Flixborough, and there are only five oval frames from Coppergate compared to 24 at Flixborough.
Buckle-plate
No. 201 (RF 13478) is a small buckle-plate found unstratified. While there are the remains of another attached to buckle no. 171 (RF 5286; Phase 4ii–5a), the near absence of buckle-plates is a striking point of difference between Flixborough and Anglo-Scandinavian contexts at 16–22 Coppergate, York where 38 were found (Ottaway 1992, 686–8). In the late Anglo-Saxon/Anglo-Scandinavian period buckle-plates were often associated with spurs of which, however, no examples were found at Flixborough.
Belt Slide (FIG. 1.11)
There is one probable belt-slide, or strap-guide, no. 202 (RF 2763; Phase 4ii). The clasp is largely missing, but the head is circular with a central rib. It is tin-plated. In the late Anglo-Saxon period belt slides were frequently associated with spur leathers (Ottaway 1992, 688), and their virtual absence at Flixborough may be seen in the context of the complete absence of spurs already noted above. The rib across the head of no. 202 (RF 2763) recalls similar ribs across lozenge-shaped heads found at Coppergate (ibid., fig. 297, 3778–80).
Catalogue
Buckles (FIG. 1.10)
D-SHAPED FRAMES
167 |
Incomplete. L.16, W.35mm |
168 |
L.24, W.18mm |
169 |
L.30, W.22mm |
170 |
Plated (tin-lead). L.23, W.15mm |
171 |
Tongue survives, very corroded buckle plate attached. Charcoal present. L.15, W.33mm |
172. |
Remains of leather from belt loops at the back on both sides. L.27, W.46mm |
173 |
Fragment. L.31, W.27mm |
174 |
L.36, W.46mm |
OVAL FRAMES |
|
175 |
Tongue survives. L.19, W.13mm |
176 |
Tongue survives; at its head are three grooves. Plated (tin). L.14, W.18mm |
177 |
Tongue survives. L.14, W.26mm |
178 |
L.16, W.20mm |
179 |
Tongue survives. Possible textile, suggestion of spun threads on back. L.14, W.19mm (FIG. 1.10) |
180 |
Tongue survives. Plant material present. L.20, W.25mm |
181 |
Incomplete. Plated (tin-lead). L.11, W.14mm |
182 |
Incomplete. L.23, W.39mm |
183 |
Incomplete. Traces of random organic material. L.15, W.30mm |
184 |
Tongue survives. L.12, W.21mm |
Incomplete. L.16, W.30mm |
|
186 |
Tongue survives. Charcoal and random organic material present. L.23, W.36mm |
187 |
Tongue survives. Possible leather remains. L.17, W.23mm |
188 |
L.14, W.70mm |
189 |
Incomplete. Tongue survives. L.20, W.40mm |
190 |
Incomplete. L.65mm |
191 |
Incomplete. L. 18, W.11mm |
192 |
Tongue survives. Possible leather traces. L.14, W.26mm |
193 |
Tongue survives. Plant material present. L.17, W.24mm |
194 |
Tongue survives. Possible leather traces, and charcoal present. L.26, W.50mm |
195 |
Tongue survives. L.14, W.24mm |
196 |
Slight random organic traces. L.34, W.58mm |
197 |
L.20, W.33mm |
FIG. 1.11. Iron belt slide, silver and copper alloy finger-rings, arm-rings or bracelets, twisted wire ring, pendants, and a wooden bead. Scale 1:1.
FRAMES WITH STRAIGHT SIDES AND ROUNDED ENDS |
|
198 |
Tongue survives. L.20, W.36mm |
199 |
Possible organic trace on tongue. L.17, W.33mm (FIG. 1.10) |
200 |
Tongue survives. Charcoal, also fibrous organic material. L.18, W.35mm (FIG. 1.10) |
Buckle-plate |
|
201 |
L.19, W.21mm |
Belt Slide (FIG. 1.11) |
|
202 |
Circular head with central rib, catch largely missing. Plated (tin-lead). D.23mm (FIG. 1.11) |
1.5 Jewellery
by Nicola Rogers, with a contribution
by Lisa M. Wastling
Finger-rings (FIGS 1.11)
All the finger-rings found at Flixborough were unstratified, two are of silver (nos 203 and 1018) and the third of silver/copper alloy (no. 204). The inscribed silver ring (no. 1018) is discussed in detail, with the other inscribed objects, in Ch. 3 (below).
The silver ring, no. 203 (RF 7243), and no. 204 (RF 12238), made of a silver/copper alloy, both have decorated lentoid or lozenge-shaped bezels; the bezel of no. 204 has incised curvilinear motifs which may have been inlaid, although analysis did not indicate different material within the decorated area (see analysis). Analysis of the bezel of no. 203 (RF 7243), which appears to have Trewhiddle style leaf motifs, did indicate possible silver inlay within the decoration, and a higher level of copper on the bezel which would have resulted in a more golden appearance in contrast to the silver of the rest of the ring. Both rings have notched borders around the decoration, and resemble a ring found at Whitby Abbey which had Trewhiddle style animal ornament on its bezel and was dated to the early 9th century by Wilson (Peers and Radford, 1943, 58, fig. 12, no. 5; Wilson 1964, 27 and 200, pl. XL, no. 130).
Ear-ring/finger-ring
A penannular ring of copper alloy, no. 205 (RF 5439) was recovered from the Phase 4ii dump which also produced the silver disc brooch (no. 25, RF 5467; see above). Similar rings found at Fishergate, York (Rogers 1993a, 1370–1, fig. 668, nos 5411–14), and from an Anglo-Saxon site at Elveden, Norfolk (West 1998, 26, fig. 24, no. 7) were identified as possible ear-rings, while at Middle Harling, Norfolk they were called finger-rings (Margeson 1995a, 56, fig. 38, nos 26–31).
Arm-rings or bracelets (FIG. 1.11)
Three copper alloy arm-ring or bracelet fragments were found (nos 206–8); only no. 206 (RF 755) was found in a stratified context in Phase 6iii (mid-late 10th–early 11th century) dark soil. These objects appear to be uncommon in the Saxon period; Hirst noted only one at Sewerby (Hirst 1985, 62, fig. 57, no. 7), and a corpus of Anglo-Saxon material from Suffolk recorded only three examples from the whole county (West 1998, 368). Single and cabled multi-strand wire armlets such as nos 206 and 208 are well-known Roman arm-ring types (Crummy 1983, 37–8, figs 41–2), but simple base-metal hoops with twisted ends are also known from the Viking period (Mainman and Rogers 2000, 2583–4, fig. 1277, nos 10608–9, and 10618).
Twisted wire ring (FIG. 1.11)
Made of silver, no. 209 (RF 10784) is a ring made of wire with the ends twisted, a ring form found commonly throughout the Saxon period, and seen on other Flixborough objects, for example as suspension loops on the latch lifters (nos 1970–1; RFs 3776, 3820) and slide key (no. 1969; RF 11020). Other applications include arm-rings (Roesdahl et al. 1981, 109, YD51), finger-rings (Rogers 1993a, 1374, fig. 668, nos 5417–8), and components of necklaces (Hyslop 1963, 198–9). The function of no. 209 (RF 10784) is uncertain; it is too small to be an arm-ring (see above), but too large to be a finger-ring (see above), and it is considerably larger than most suspension rings. During the Viking period, such forms were used to store silver; for example, large rings were found in the early 10th-century Cuerdale silver hoard (Graham-Campbell 1980, 87, no. 301). The silver ingot (no. 3289; RF 12198), unfortunately unstratified, provides an indication that silver was worked on at Flixborough. No. 209 (RF 10784) was recovered from Phase 4ii (mid-9th century) ditch fill.
Pendants (FIG. 1.11)
Four pendants (nos 210–13) may have been parts of necklaces. Nos 210–11 (RFs 4166 and 14205) are small globular pendants or “bullae”; both are made of silver, which in the case of no. 210 has been gilded, to make it look like gold, and both are made up of two hollow hemispheres soldered together with the ends of the suspension loop gripped by the seam. Two similar silver bullae formed part of a gold and silver necklace recovered from a Saxon burial at Lower Brook Street in Winchester (Hawkes 1990, 622–9, fig. 168, nos 1961–2), and these pendants have a suggested date range of the second half of the 7th century possibly going into the 8th century (Geake 1997, 37). Slightly larger and solid, no. 213 (RF 3095) is made of copper alloy. Now rather fragmentary, no. 212 (RF 11674) is an oval droplet pendant, made of copper alloy with a convex amber setting with an imitation beaded wire edging; its loop has been lost. The amber has been identified as ‘Baltic’ amber (Ian Panter, pers. comm.), either imported from Scandinavia or other Baltic regions, or possibly collected from a beach on the east coast of England, where amber can appear, after being washed across from the north European continent (Panter in Mainman and Rogers 2000, 2501).
The wooden bead (by Lisa M. Wastling)
Just two certain beads were recovered from the site: one of wood (no. 214), which had been preserved by burning, and one of glass. The glass bead is discussed in Vera Evison’s glass report and can be seen in FIG. 2.3, no. 946 (see Ch. 2, below). A possible bone bead is discussed on p. 235 (no. 2323).
The wooden bead (no. 214; FIG. 1.11) was recovered from Phase 5a occupation deposit, 72. It represents a rare survival of a class of bead which may have been common, but is generally absent from the archaeological record due to the paucity of surviving wooden artefacts.
Catalogue (FIG. 1.11)
(Dimensions are in mm. L. = length; W. = width; Th. = thickness; Diam. = diameter)
Finger-rings (FIG. 1.11) |
|
203 |
Silver hoop of sub-square section, flat lozenge-shaped bezel, slightly damaged on one side, decorated with central lozenge-shaped field with relief motif now illegible, possibly inlaid, notched border extending to shoulders. Diam. 19, Bezel W.7.2, Th.0.9. (FIG. 1.11) |
204 |
Silver/copper alloy hoop of sub-circular section with flat lozenge-shaped bezel decorated with incised curvilinear motifs. Diam. 20.7. Section W.2, Th.1.7. (FIG. 1.11) |
Ear-ring/finger-ring |
|
205 |
Copper alloy penannular of circular section. Diam. 22.5. Section diam. 2.4. (FIG. 1.11) |
Arm-rings or bracelets (FIG. 1.11) |
|
206 |
Copper alloy arm-ring or bracelet fragment, of triple strand cable twisted wire, terminal formed by one strand being twisted twice around second, third strand having been cut short, other end broken. L.49.7, W.4, Th.3.3. Wire Section Diam. 2.1. (FIG. 1.11) |
207 |
Copper alloy arm-ring or bracelet fragment, of sub-rectangular section, bevelled to flattened terminal, end cut obliquely, other end broken. Orig. Diam. c.80. Section W.5.1. Th.3.2. |
208 |
Copper alloy arm-ring or bracelet fragment, of sub-circular section, one hooked terminal of square section, other broken off. L.58.9. Section diam. 2.7. (FIG. 1.11) |
Twisted wire ring (FIG. 1.11) |
|
209 |
Silver, of circular section, oval, ends tapering and twisted to form ring. L.38.5, W.19.3. Section diam. 1.6. (FIG. 1.11) |
Pendants (FIG. 1.11) |
|
210 |
Silver, globular with projecting circular loop of bi-convex section, mercury gilded all over, worn in some places. Diam.6, L.9.6. Loop diam.4.2, Th.1.2. (FIG. 1.11) |
211 |
Silver, globular with projecting loop of bi-convex section. Diam.5.5, L.9.5. Loop diam.3.5. |
212 |
Copper alloy, in many fragments, originally oval with domed open front with notched wire border, flat back plate, containing oval Baltic amber setting. Largest fragment L.12.4. W.11.7. Th. 2.2. Setting L.16.6, W.10.4, Th. 4.5. (FIG. 1.11) |
213 |
Copper alloy, sub-globular, with convex lower face, upper end with suspension loop of rectangular section. Diam.9.7 L.10.5. |
Wooden bead (FIG. 1.11) |
|
214 |
Bead. Globular, incomplete. Wood, burnt and surviving as charcoal. L. 7mm, diam. 8.5mm. (FIG. 1.11) |
by Nicola Rogers, with contributions by
Glynis Edwards†, Gabor Thomas and Jacqui Watson
Tweezers (FIG. 1.12)
Tweezers form one of the larger groups of objects amongst the personal items, with six pairs found in stratified deposits (nos 215–21) and four found unstratified (nos 222–5). Although they are two parts of the same pair, nos 220 and 221 (RFs 11688 and 11590) were found in different deposits, the former coming from context 10179 (a Phase 3bii–iii occupation level), the latter from context 11461(a Phase 4i–ii trench fill). A further three possible copper alloy tweezers fragments (nos 226–8; RFs 79, 4152 and 5807), and a solitary iron example (no. 229; RF 12601) were also recovered.
The typical Saxon form of tweezers has expanded triangular tips with inturned edges, and apart from nos 219 and 224 (RFs 10423 and 12751), all the Flixborough tweezers are of this type. Several are decorated; for example, the tips on nos 215 and 218 (RFs 10148 and 7242) have stamped ring-and-dot motifs, and those on no. 222 (RF 12443) have dots, while arms are also decorated with incised lines (e.g. nos 217 and 222; RFs 10217 and 12443) or ring-and-dot (nos 220–21; RFs 11688 and 11590). This form has been recovered from both cemetery and settlement sites – see for example Buckland, Dover (Evison 1987, 118, fig. 24, 41/5), Hamwic (Hinton 1996, 44–6, fig.18), Barham and Lakenheath, Suffolk (West 1998, 6, fig. 6, no. 51; 77, fig. 110, no. 6), Middle Harling, Norfolk (Margeson 1995a, 62, fig. 43), York (Rogers 1993a, 1387, fig. 678, no. 5420) and Whitby (Peers and Radford 1943, 62–3, fig. 13). At Flixborough, the earliest dated contexts in which these tweezers occur are Phase 3b (no. 220 in context 10179, and no. 215 in context 6235: both mid 8th–early 9th century), and the latest Phase 5b–6i (no. 218 in context 6344).
The fragmentary no. 219 (RF 10423) appears to be of the simpler straight-sided form of tweezers, found on Roman, Anglo-Saxon and medieval sites (Biddle 1990, vol. 2, 690), and essentially undatable. It was recovered from Phase 6ii–iii dark soil, and thus must date to the early 11th century at the latest.
A third form of tweezers is represented by the unstratified no. 224 (RF 12751), the unusual tips on which are paralleled by examples found at Shakenoak, Oxfordshire (Brodribb et al., 1972, 69, fig. 30, no. 133), Hamwic (Hinton 1996, 44–6, fig. 18, no. 24/12), and North Elmham (I. H. Goodall 1980, 502, fig. 263, no. 5). A similar pair from Reculver (Kent) have been dated to the 8th/9th century (Wilson 1964, 161, no. 62), and this seems a possible date for no. 224 (RF 12751) also.
Various uses for these commonly found implements have been suggested; the fact that they are sometimes found in male graves, often unaccompanied by other toilet implements such as ear scoops and nail cleaners (Scull 1992, 236), indicates that they are unlikely to have had a solely cosmetic function. Other suggested uses include pulling out thorns and splinters (Webster and Backhouse 1991, 85), and handling precious metal embroidery threads (Roesdahl et al. 1981, YD29). The more robust nature of no. 224 (RF 12751) may indicate an application requiring a greater use of force.
Ear scoop (FIG. 1.12)
Ear scoops such as no. 230 (RF 5943) are sometimes found in a set with tweezers or other toilet implements, which would also have looped over a ring, and come from sites similar to those from which the triangular-tipped tweezers have been recovered (see above). No. 230 (RF 5943) was found in context 3107, a mid 9th century ditch fill which contained significant amounts of 8th- to 9th-century material, including buckle no. 118 (RF 3135) and silver pendant no. 210 (RF 4166: see above).
Catalogue (FIG. 1.12)
(Dimensions are in mm. L. = length; W. = width; Th. = thickness; Diam. = diameter. Entry no. 227 by Gabor Thomas)
Tweezers (FIG. 1.12) |
|
215 |
Complete copper alloy example with fragment of twisted wire suspension ring (not illustrated), arms of sub-rectangular section, faceting and file marks along edges, terminating in triangular tips decorated with four ring-and-dot motifs, lower edges of tips inturned. L.49.9. W.19.4. Th.4.1. Ring section Diam. 1. (FIG. 1.12) |
216 |
Copper alloy fragments (2), adjoining from one arm, upper end broken at loop, broadening slightly to lower end with trapezoidally-shaped tip with inturned edge. L.52.3. W.12.1. Th.1.5. |
217 |
Complete copper alloy example with fragment of wire suspension ring, arms of rectangular section, terminating in triangular tips with inturned lower edge; incised line decoration along edges of arms and transversely at top of tips and below loop. L.46. W.16.2. Th.2.8. Ring section diam.1.2. |
218 |
Copper alloy example with expanded tips with lower edges inturned; tips decorated with ring-and-dot motifs, incised lines along edges. L.50.5. W.14.5. Th.3.3. |
219 |
Copper alloy arm fragment, broken across inturned edge at one end, other end broken across arm. L.18.8. W.6.8. Th.0.9. |
220 |
Copper alloy arm and loop; second arm (RF 11590) broken off; arm rectangular with expanded triangular tip with inturned lower edge, decorated with incised lines along each edge and ring-and-dot motifs on arm. L.51. W.20.1. Th.1.9 (FIG. 1.12). |
221 |
Copper alloy arm, broken at loop; rectangular with expanded triangular tip with inturned lower edge, incised lines along each edge with ring-and-dot motifs (joins no. 220, RF 11688). L.48. W.20.1. Th.1.9. (FIG. 1.12) |
222 |
Complete copper alloy example with thickened loop; arms of plano-convex section, expanding to sub-triangular tips with inturned end; arms decorated with transverse incised lines, tips with apparently random pattern of punched dots. Random organic material on outside. L.66.1. W.11.7. Th.1.9. (FIG. 1.12) |
223 |
Copper alloy example attached to fragment of suspension ring; upper stem of rectangular section, decorated with bands of incised transverse lines, split transversely to form sub-triangular arms; both tips bent up. L.58.8. W.11.5. Th.4.6. Ring section diam. 1.8. (FIG. 1.12) |
224 |
Copper alloy tweezers or forceps, upper end rectangular and compressed; arms of rectangular section, tapering from upper end and changing to plano-convex section below pair of incised transverse lines, and bevelled from outer face to rounded tips; file-marks. L.125.8. W.10. Th.5. (Fig. 1.12) |
225 |
Copper alloy fragment; one arm only, broken across loop; arm rectangular with triangular tip, part of inturned lower edge broken off, with incised lines along edges. L.48. W.14.8. Th.1.3. |
FIG. 1.12. Copper alloy tweezers and ear scoop, and an iron fleam. Scale 1:1.
(?) Tweezers |
|
226 |
Copper alloy arm fragment, broken at both ends, curving and tapered. L.21. W.9.6. Th.1.7. |
227 |
Copper alloy arm fragment, of rectangular section; one end flattened, other end bent up. L.37.7. W.6.5. Th.1.5. |
228 |
Copper alloy arm fragment; one expanded sub-triangular tip, edge inturned. L.26. W.8.6. Th.1. |
229 |
Tweezers? Triangular iron object fabricated from a folded iron strip, one end of which is now missing. Due to its folded construction and lack of attachment holes, this may have served another function, perhaps as a small pair of tweezers. L.36mm. W.12.7mm. Th.1.3mm. |
Ear scoop (FIG. 1.12) |
|
230 |
Copper alloy ear scoop, looped around incomplete ring; stem of rectangular section, single collars below loop and above scoop which is at 90° to loop. L.50.8. W.5. Th.2.1. (FIG. 1.12) |
1.7 Medical items
by Patrick Ottaway
Fleams (FIG. 1.12)
There are two probable examples of knives used for blood letting, known as fleams: nos 231 (RF 11676; Phase 3biii) and 232 (RF 12327; unstratified). They have or had tangs which tapered to the tip where there is a small semicircular blade. This basic form has remained current until recent times, but no other Anglo-Saxon fleams are known, except for an example from Hamwic (SOU177.326, unpublished, excavated by Southampton City Council).
Catalogue
Fleams (FIG. 1.12)
231 |
Incomplete tapering tang; a small U-shaped blade projects just before the tip. L.76mm. (FIG. 1.12) |
232 |
Tang narrows towards one end where a small U-shaped blade is projecting. L.104mm. |
1.8 The pins
by Nicola Rogers, with contributions by Sonia O’Connor, Patrick Ottaway and Ian Panter
Introduction
A total of 562 pins, made of non-ferrous metals, of iron and of bone that were recovered at Flixborough have been studied for this report; together they must constitute the largest group of Anglo-Saxon pins ever found on one site. By far the biggest component of this group of pins is the non-ferrous metal pins which total 407, and comprise 20 silver pins and 387 copper alloy pins. 114 iron pins were also recovered, certainly the largest group of iron pins identified from this period. Finally, 41 bone pins were also found.
As the largest group, the non-ferrous pins are commented upon first; it should be noted that three non-ferrous pins were unavailable for study, but had been drawn (cat. nos. 254, 437 and 438: RFs 14132, 14041 and 14045), and comments upon these are based solely on the illustrations.
Within the non-ferrous pins, a series of types were identified, primarily defined by head shape; when the iron pins were investigated, it became clear that their similarities in form to the non-ferrous pins necessitated typing them in the same way. The bone pins, being made of a completely different type of material, and differing less in form than their metal counterparts have been grouped into just two types.
Non-ferrous pins
Typology
The non-ferrous pins have been classified primarily by their head shape. The main types are: Type 1: globular; Type 2: polyhedral; Type 3: biconical; Type 4: spiral-headed; Type 5: headless; Type 6: disc-headed; Type 7: flat triangular or trapezoidal headed; Type 8: inverted conical; Type 9: faceted dome-shaped head. Type LIN refers to linked pins, Type 00 comprises pins with unidentifiable heads, and Type 000 is composed of individual pins belonging to no broad type.
In addition, other characteristics of the forms of the typed pins were recorded; these are the presence/absence of a collar below the head, the shank form, and the presence/absence of decoration on the head and/or on the shank. Four shank forms were recorded. These are: unidentifiable, the shank section unvaried along the whole length of the shank, swelling on part of the shank, and hipping or a square section at the end of the shank. Pins which were missing heads were typed according to shank form only. All the pins in Types 1–9, and also the pin shanks, have a three digit code number according to the combination of the characteristics of their form (see Appendix 1, pp. 44–5 for pin type codes).
The pin types identified have been broken down numerically in FIG. 1.13 below:
FIG. 1.13. Non-ferrous pins by type.
Type 1 Globular-headed pins
This type formed the second most commonly recovered type on the site, and was the most common form of the silver pins. The pins may be broadly divided into those with plain heads (Types 100–113) and those with decorated heads (Types 120–133), the former comprising c.75% of the Type 1 pins. By far the most common form, making up c.33% of all Type 1 pins, is Type 112 which has an undecorated head, a ring collar and a swollen shank. Ten of the pins are of silver, two of which have been gilded (cat. nos 665 and 667, RFs 1127 and 622: both Type 112). Two copper alloy pins (no. 252, RF 7244, type 111; no. 293, RF 11942, type 130), have heads which have been gilded; a third copper alloy pin (no. 254, RF 14132, type 111) appears to have been gilded all over. Two pins (nos 277–8, RFs 3721–2 both type 113) are so similar in size and form that they must represent a pair – they were found in the same Phase 6ii dump deposit. Whether they were originally linked in some way, as pairs of pins with chains are linked, is unclear (see Linked pins below). The earliest dated deposits from which Type 1 pins were recovered are mid-7th to early 8th century (Phase 1b–2, No. 665, RF 1127, type 112; no. 284, RF 3875, type 121); approximately 21% came from Period 1–4 levels, with 16% from Period 5 contexts, almost a third (30%) from Period 6 levels and the same from Period 7 levels and unstratified (see FIG. 1.14 above).
While being the second most common type of non-ferrous pin found at Flixborough, globular-headed pins, or spherical-headed as they are also termed, have been the commonest form found on many other Middle Saxon sites, including Hamwic, which produced a similar number, although considerably more (approx. 50% of the total) were decorated (Hinton 1996, 14–21). As at Flixborough, a possible pair of pins was identified (op. cit., 20–1). More locally to Flixborough, in York, they formed the most common type found in Anglian levels at 46–54 Fishergate (Rogers 1993a, 1361–3), and early Anglo-Scandinavian levels at 16–22 Coppergate (Mainman and Rogers 2000, 2577), as well as occurring elsewhere in the city (Waterman 1959, 78–9). Other sites in the north of England that have produced these pins include Whitby, North Yorkshire (Peers and Radford 1943, 63–4), and two sites in East Yorkshire – South Newbald (Leahy 2000, 65–71) and Cottam (Haldenby 1990, 53; 1992, 27; 1994, 52).
FIG. 1.14. Typed non-ferrous pins by type and period. NB Numbers in bold are percentages of pin type.
Type 2 – polyhedral-headed pins
This form – the fourth most numerous – includes all pins with cuboidal and other polygonally shaped heads; one silver pin falls into this category (no. 672, RF 5451, Type 212). No. 349 (RF 7245; Type 232) is a copper alloy pin with a gilded head.
As with the Type 1 pins, a broad distinction can be made between those with undecorated (Types 200–213) and those with decorated heads (Types 220–253); unlike the Type 1 pins, the vast majority of the Type 2 pins (c.76%) have decorated heads, and the commonest form within this type (c.21% of all Type 2 pins) is Type 232 with a decorated head, ring collar and swollen shank. The earliest deposit from which a Type 2 pin derives is a Period 2 floor level (late 7th–early 8th century: no. 335, RF 3628, Type 231), with c.29% of Type 2 pins coming from Periods 2–4 levels. Period 5 produced c.16%, and Period 6 c.23%, while c.32% were from Period 7 levels and unstratified (see FIG. 1.14).
This pin form encompasses a range of head forms, all polyhedral but of various sizes and sections. The most common is the square-sectioned faceted head, which is typically decorated, and this has been found on all the sites noted above as producing Type 1 pins. A few pins were recognised which have a narrow rectangular section to the head, producing a flattened appearance; these have also been noted at Hamwic (Hinton 1996, 24, fig. 9, nos 169/1747, 349/148), South Newbald (Leahy 2000, figs 6.7, 1–4; 6.8, 6–8) and at Riby Crossroads, Lincolnshire (Drinkall 1994, 264, illus. 16, 4). Of the seven recovered at Flixborough, only three came from phased contexts, the earliest being late 9th–early 10th century (Phase 5b: no. 359, RF 1803), so use of this type, at least at Flixborough, may possibly have extended from the Middle Saxon into the Late Saxon period, although all could be residual (see below for discussion of the chronology of pin types). One further head form within this group which is of particular interest is the baluster head, of which no. 316 (RF 4207) is the sole example; it has previously been identified in predominantly 9th- to 10th-century levels in York, and has been suggested to be unique to that city (Mainman and Rogers 2000, 2577). The Flixborough pin derives from Phase 6iii (mid-10th–early 11th century) dark soil or dumping.
Type 3 – biconical-headed pins
This form, the most commonly recovered, includes all heads of biconical shape, which may be broadly divided into those with a conical top (Types 300–333) = 59 (c.75%), and those with a flatter or rounded top (Types 340–373) = 20 (c.25%). There were no silver pins of this type. Of those with a conical top, the most common forms included a medial band (Types 320–333), and these types represented c.43% of all the pins with biconical heads. Only eight pins (c.10%) had decorated heads, most having designs incorporating stamped ring-and-dot motifs (e.g. no. 408, RF 1858, Type 331). Shanks with grooves around them were noted on 11 pins (c. 14%); on two pins (nos 369 and 371, RFs 6588 and 11990, both Types 302), the grooves were positioned just below the head, but on all the others, they appeared towards the tip, sometimes at the point of swelling on the shank (e.g. no. 414, RF 8525, Type 332) or at the point where the shank became hipped (e.g. no. 390, RF 3847, Type 313). Whether these are decorative grooves, or had some other function, is unclear. The earliest deposit from which Type 3 pins derive is a Period 2 post-hole (late 7th century: no. 430, RF 3918, Type 352); c.14% come from deposits of Periods 2–4, only c.6% from Period 5 levels, with c.33% Period 6 deposits and c.47% from Period 7 levels and unstratified (see Table 2).
Elsewhere, Type 3 pins have been found on the same sites as Types 1 and 2, although it does not appear as the most common type at any of these. At Hamwic, it was the third most frequently found type (Hinton 1996, 28), but none had decorated heads, although grooves on shanks were occasionally noted (ibid.). As at Flixborough, no silver pins were identified (ibid.). A single example was found at Riby Crossroads, Lincolnshire (Drinkall 1994, 264, illus. 16, 3).
Type 4 – spiral-headed pins
Fourteen pins of this type were recovered, their heads formed of opposed inwardly spiralled wires; all were made of copper alloy. The heads on most have been made by splitting the upper end of a shank into two, but occasionally, pins have been cast as a Y-shape for example nos 445 and 447, RFs 3475 and 4729 (Ross 1991, 220). They are equal fifth in terms of their frequency on the site; only one was found to be decorated (no. 458, RF 5218, Type 411) with grooves on the shank just below the head. The type found in most numbers is Type 401 with an unvaried shank section of which there were 9 (c.64%). The earliest dated deposit from which this pin type comes is a Phase 1b post-hole fill (mid–late 7th century: no. 446, RF 3732, Type 401), and the highest percentage of these pins come from Periods 1–4 (see FIG. 1.14). Their appearances in Anglo-Saxon graves, such as at Eccles, Kent (Hawkes 1973, 281–5) suggest an origin in the 7th century, or just possibly the 6th (op. cit., 283), while their occurrence in some numbers at Hamwic indicates their continued use into the 8th century (Hinton 1996, 30). Closer to Flixborough, they have been found at Brandon, Suffolk (Webster and Backhouse 1991, 84, 66h; West 1998, 12), Ipswich (West 1998, 67, 96, 6), Lincoln (Meaney 1964, 157), Riby Crossroads (Drinkall 1994, 265, illus. 16, 2) and Hartlepool (Jackson 1988, 182, fig. 33, 8), and in York, at Fishergate (Rogers 1993a, 1363) and Coppergate (Mainman and Rogers 2000, 2578). Although few in number, the pins derived mainly from 9th- to 10th-century levels at both York sites (ibid.), which may suggest a period of use extending slightly beyond the previously assumed floruit of 7th–8th centuries (Leahy 1991, 97, 69j, k); despite noting the York examples, at Hamwic these pins were thought nevertheless to date primarily to the 7th–8th centuries (Hinton 1996, 37).