Basic info

Collection

Archaeology

Object name

Strap fitting

Object category

Anglian

Description

Decorated with animals in Trewhiddle style. Animal head terminal, split at narrow end. Finest representations of a select class of object – large elaborate silver strapends. Hoard of 2 matching sets of 4 strap ends discovered next to the Roman Road from York to Catterick and north. Found at Upper Poppelton (a pre-conquest even pre-Viking settlement existed there around a nunnery established by St Aelfhild/Everilda. Hoard dates from last third of 9th century (similar dated hoards exist in vicinity of York – Viking Activity within Northumbrian Kingdom) Four large strap ends are a matching set. Central Panel for each is engraved and inlaid with Niello. Each is decorated with three animals in distorted and accentuated poses surrounded by interlace. 4 smaller examples have a great deal in common with the larger ones though they are decorated differently and overall are more uniform. Strap ends are amongst the most common find of Saxon metalwork – the Poppleton examples stand apart fro their opulence and the fact they are part of a matching set rather than pairs. They are decorated with motifs from the Trewhiddle style from the 9th century but with possible origins in the 8th century. This style seems to have spanned Anglian-Anglo-Scandinavian. Made from a strip of silver bent in two about the terminal and then hammering the edges until they merged with a wedge in one end to produce the gap for the strap. They were then rivetted and decorated. These examples have an interlocking attachment end to assist in maintaining the strap end on the strap. The size and shape and the fact they are of these examples suggest they may be a local attempt to copy the continental-inspired tongue strap ends that could be used on large straps, harness etc. The two sets suggest they were made in the same workshop if not by the same hand. The mixture of designs/motifs within the strap ends suggest they were made in Northumbria (see Medieval Archaeology 50 2006 Gabor Thomas pp 143-164

Production date start

410

Production date end

866

Period

Anglian