File:Copper-alloy Lyre Shaped Buckle Frgament (FindID 418245).jpg

English: An incomplete copper-alloy strap-end type lyre shaped buckle with integral box chape, of later 15th century date. The surface of the buckle has been silvered. The artefact represents the higher end quality of late Medieval to early Post-Medieval mass produced buckles. This buckle had a silver coating over the surface and box like constuction of the integral plate. The box chape is trapezoidal in shape the distal end flaring out to a maximum width of 16.37mm. The box chape is 21.11mm long with a depth of 6.38mm. The sides of the box are 1.44mm thick and the proximal width, nearest to the buckle frame is 13.31mm. The upper surface of box chape is decorated with elongated shallow incised letters, identified by Geoff Egan as possibly 'IHC' to represent 'Christ' or 'Jesus Christ'. Both the front and back surfaces of the box chape contain two small circular rivet holes of c.1.79mm diameter approximately 1.62mm from the edge. As expected these holes are possitioned opposite each other. At the narrower proximal end of the box chape the buckle narrows further to 9.67mm with concave or cresent shaped edges and a concave upper surface. As the buckle curves out again, to a width of 14.26mm, a shallow groove separates the plate from the frame of the buckle. A circular perforation of 3.09mm diameter sits accross the groove from which the pin is attached. It is possible but not certain that the pin is a replacement. It is uncertain whether the pin, which is 32.26mm long and has a diameter of 1.93mm, is of wire or wrought manufacture. Only approximately one quarter of the frame survives. The open-work frame is decorated with moulded scroll-work with blind holes along the outer edge of the frame. The lower surface of the buckle is smooth and undecorated. The buckle fragment weighs 12.22g. For other examples of this type of buckle see PAS records KENT-05B077, LVPL-D3D181, LVPL-1D89D2, WILT-847795, SUSS-8B1500 and NARC745. A similar buckle, although with a shorter box chape plate, can be seen in Whitehead, R. 2003, p.37, No.218. Also see Museum of London Medieval Catalogue, 1940.