File:An Early Medieval Buckle (FindID 617208).jpg

English: An Early (Anglo-Saxon copper alloy buckle frame, probably dating from the late 5th to early 7th century. The frame is rectangular in shape with a single loop, thick edges and a recessed bar. The pin is missing. The underside of the buckle is flat and plain while the upper face is thickly gilded with four leaf-shaped settings at the corners, two of which retain crushed red settings, probably garnets.

Between the settings on one long edge and the two short edges is a trapezoidal area with a central plain band surrounded on all sides by possible punched decoration. A much shorter area flanks the other side of the leaf-shaped settings on the second long edge. This appears to not have punched decoration.

The buckle frame measures 34.68 x 21.85mm and weighs 8.53g. The copper alloy is fairly worn and has a mid green patina.

This buckle belongs to Marzinzik's Type I.6, rectangular with a narrowed bar. Other examples are found in southern and eastern England and date broadly from the sixth century (Marzinzik 2003, 24-5, pl. 16). Two further similar frames, from Mucking II, Essex Grave 823 (Plate 82, p. 199, No. 914a) and from Highdown, West Sussex, Grave 34 (Plate 83, page 200, No. 581) were placed by Marzinzik in her Type II.11 and II.13 on the basis of their attached plates; the Highdown example appears to come from a late fifth-century grave.

A similar example which can be found on the database is LVPL-BFBC1E.