File:Early-medieval hooked mount from a hanging bowl (FindID 834168).jpg

English: An assemblage of copper-alloy material, including an Anglo-Saxon hanging bowl and associated fittings and a second vessel, probably a skillet, of Early-Medieval date, c. AD 500 - 700.

Catalogue:

Hanging bowl including:

· Large rim fragment of hanging bowl with two large body fragments (Image 1).

· Complete circular frame. (Image 2).

· Two fragments of a second circular frame. (Image 3).

· Two decorated discs (one with central perforation possibly for knop thing) (Image 4 & 5).

· Concave circular basal knop. (Image 6).

· Three suspension rings. (Image 7).

· Set of three matching hook-escutcheons. (Image 8, 9 & 10).

Three fragments from a second vessel, probably a skillet; handle, rim and rim/body. (Image 11). See record YORYM-C389D9: <a href="https://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/record/id/845699">https://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/record/id/845699</a>

Three bags of fragmentary pieces making up body of vessels. (Image 12, 13,& 14).

One unidentified bone fragment (Image 15).

Hanging Bowl Description:

Rim

The rim profile is of the 'folded' type, made from sheet which is not thickened in any way but first bent inwards to produce a deep concave curve just below the rim. Above this the edge of the sheet is then folded back on itself to form a flat horizontal surface to the top of the bowl, on which the hooks can rest.

Escutcheon #1

A complete copper-alloy zoomorphic escutcheon. The main plate is drop-shaped with a rounded knop at the pointed end and a curved hook at the rounded end. Both elements are integral to the plate, which has outwardly bevelled sides resulting in a concave reverse.

The hook is in the form of a bird's neck and head. Prominent eyes feature to either side of the head, denoted by two concentric circular ridges around a central indented pellet. The beak, in front of the eyes, is rounded and decorated with a series of ten parallel chevron ridges expanding outward from between the eyes to cover the whole of the beak. There is no trace of any material inlaid in the grooves between the ridges of the beak or the eyes. The underside of the beak is flat and slightly cut away to accommodate the flat rim of the bowl.

A central groove runs from the tip of the beak, along the centre top and between the eyes. It seems likely that the entire length of this groove was originally inlaid with enamel, as just behind the eyes the enamel survives. The groove then expands to an elongated panel with rounded end along the back of the neck, inlaid with enamel and set in the centre of the rounded end with a circular millefiori slab. This has a dark blue (or black) background with a white dot at the centre, a dark ring around this, then ten radiating white triangles forming a star shape. This is all set within a narrow pink-red frame. (This could be called Design A).

The neck joins the main plate at the bevelled edge and does not interrupt the main plate's design.

The main plate is decorated with a complex, beautifully made fine-line trumpet spiral design filled with enamel, originally red but now decayed in most places to a pale cream colour. A small tear-drop shape is present at the lower, pointed end, with its point downwards and filled with the same enamel. Above this is a sub-lozenge element, the lower half made from narrow trumpet shapes in reserved copper alloy extending and flaring to form a V shape. A narrow, fine-line crescent shape is set between the trumpet ends of this V, and is filled with enamel; it curves down and then up to echo the V shape below.

The two outer corners of the lozenge are each formed from two further reserved trumpet shapes. The shorter of these then meets another trumpet shape that tapers to form a slender spiral on each side. Where each of the trumpets meet, their concave ends together form pointed-ovals which are filled with enamel.

Each of the two large spirals turns inwards twice before ending in an animal- or bird-head terminal. This resembles the terminals seen on the Brill escutcheon and the Bann disc (Bruce-Mitford 2005, nos. 119 and 174), beginning with a slender trumpet forming the neck, having a second tiny trumpet forming the back of the head and a wide trumpet forming the snout or beak. A tiny pointed-oval above forms a crest or ear.

The apex of the upper curved edges of each spiral is joined by a second, larger, fine-line crescent shape filled with enamel, this time curving upwards. The upper edge of this crescent is formed from the lower edge of a reserved border of copper alloy, which flares to end in an enamelled pointed-oval where it meets the flared end of a lower similar border that extends down to the pointed base. This narrow border around the edge retains the enamel.

The resulting overall effect of these decorative elements is that of a stylised face, with the two large spirals forming eyes and the fine-line crescent forming a mouth, with cheeks and chin formed from the trumpet shapes.

In the centre of the escutcheon, just above the downward-curving mouth-like crescent, is a lozenge of millefiori glass. This is dark blue with fine white lines running from each corner to create a cross. Further similar lines run across the corners, dividing the lozenge into four squares. Each resulting triangular corner has two or three similar white lines running across it, forming blue-and-white striped corners. (This could be called Design B).

The rounded knop below the pointed end of the plate is also enamelled within a narrow border, and in the centre is decorated with a lozenge of millefiori glass. This is again basically dark blue or black, and is sub-divided into nine smaller square panels. Four, one in the centre of each side, are each outlined with a narrow white line. The line runs around three sides of each square but does not appear to continue along the edge of the lozenge. The other five panels each have four white triangles set around a black square to form a four-pointed star in each panel. (This could be called Design C). All of the millefiori slabs are set directly into the enamel, not into separate metal cells.

The reverse of the escutcheon is undecorated. There is a circular-section rivet in the centre of the rounded knop, but this appears to be too short to project beyond the thickness of the escutcheon, so must either be broken or non-functional. The metal has a shiny polished green patina, with some pitting and corrosion to the sides and edges. No evidence for solder remains.

Dimensions: Length: 68.6mm; Width: 33.5mm; Thickness: 5.8mm; Weight: 30.6g.

Escutcheon #2

As Escutcheon #1, but lacking the central millefiori lozenge on the main plate. The millefiori lozenge on the rounded knop is present and so is the disc on the neck; both are of the same designs. The enamel is in exceptionally good condition, with only a little pitting to the very edges, so the design is extremely clear. The wear and damage to the zoomorphic hook terminal is more advanced, as is the degree of pitting and corrosion to the sides and edges. The rivet at the base of the escutcheon appears to be missing.

Dimensions: Length: 68.4mm; Width: 33.9mm; Thickness: 5.5mm; Weight: 27.8g.

Escutcheon #3

As Escutcheon #1, but with more advanced pitting and corrosion to the zoomorphic hook terminal, sides and edges. The enamel on the lower part of the main plate and the rounded knop is in good condition, retaining much of its original red colour. All three millefiori panels are present, with the same designs. There is a rivet on the reverse of the rounded knop, again apparently too short to be of practical use.

Dimensions: Length: 67.7mm; Width: 31.8mm; Thickness: 5.1mm; Weight: 25.8g.

Basal disc #1 (with central hole)

This disc is well preserved and even retains some red colour to the enamel over about half of the surface. The design is based on three concentric zones, a broad central zone flanked by an inner and outer narrow zone, each divided by a fine line of reserved metal. The innermost zone has eight millefiori slabs set into a red enamel background. The slabs are of two designs which alternate around the ring. Four are of Design A. The other four are square, and each is divided into four. Each quarter has a white frame around a four-pointed star made up of four tall triangles with bases set around a dark square and on a dark background. (This could be called Design D).

The broad central zone has four reserved peltae alternating with four fine-line spirals, all on a red enamel background. Alternate peltae have their curved backs outward and inward, making opposite peltae paired. The spirals are difficult to read, but appear to each have a pair of 'crested birds' at their centre.

The narrow outer zone is again decorated with millefiori slabs set into red enamel. There are twelve slabs, again of two designs. Six slabs are of Design D. The other six are circular, with a 'marigold' of six white pointed-oval petals radiating from the centre, with similar white pointed-oval shapes between the tips of the petals, all on a dark background. The design can alternatively be read as six dark concave-sided triangles on a white ground. (This could be called Design E). There is a vague hint of a rectangular panel of a slightly different enamel colour alternating with the millefiori slabs.

The inner edge, around the central hole, is a narrow strip of copper alloy. The outer edge of the disc is much broader, and punctuated by three circular rivet holes. 65mm diameter.

Basal disc #2

This is in a more corroded condition compared to basal disc #1. The decoration is, however, clearly different. The design has a single zone and the major elements are three roundels alternating with three large peltae with curved backs outward. The inner details of the roundels cannot be seen, but it seems likely that they are made up of fine-line spirals around a central pair of 'crested bird' terminals. The centre of the design is even harder to see, but seems to be a spiral centred on a clear circular millefiori slab of Design A. There are also three further millefiori slabs in the design, one under each left-hand side of the three peltae (viewed as a mushroom, with stem downwards and curve upwards). These slabs are of a new design, square with five dark blue smaller squares set as a quincunx onto a white background. Each is surrounded by thin dark lines forming two concentric squares around each central solid square. The remaining triangular spaces in the centre of each edge of the slab are filled with similar thin dark-blue lines. (This could be called Design F). 54mm diameter.

The outer edge of the disc has a broad border with three circular rivet holes.

Frame #1

68.5 mm

Frame #2

68.5 mm

Boss

13mm diameter

Discussion (There are 7 distinctive things that we need to parallel: 1. Rim form. 2. Frame around interior and exterior basal discs. 3. Rivet holes on basal discs. 4. Combination of 'bird-shaped' and circular mounts. 5. Millefiori. 6. fine-line style. 7. Bevelled edges to escutcheons)

A combination of features means that this bowl should be placed in Bruce-Mitford's C group (2005, 10-12). The rim is of the folded type common on B bowls, but it cannot be placed in this group due to its long, bird-shaped escutcheons cast in one piece with the hooks. The C bowls combine a folded rim with characteristics such as long escutcheons and the use of rivets.

The escutcheons (or hooked mounts) are of very high quality, and unusual in their combination of a long shape (sometimes called 'bird-shaped') and the use of millefiori glass. In Bruce-Mitford's catalogue of hanging bowls (2005) there is only one bowl that combines the use of millefiori and long escutcheons on the same vessel (no. 53, St Paul-in-the-Bail, Lincoln), but there the millefiori is confined to the circular basal mounts. These appear to be the first known long escutcheons with millefiori.

The basal disc with central void and boss is likely the interior one because it would be impractical to have this big boss on the outside (unless there is a huge 'kick' in the underside of the bowl). The frames were probably riveted to each other through the discs and bowl.

The fine-line style of spiral decoration is found on seven bowls in Bruce-Mitford's catalogue (2005, 12) and is found with millefiori on two bowls and one detached escutcheon. The detached circular escutcheon was found in Brill, Buckinghamshire in 1994 and is decorated with large open scrolls which end in central 'crested bird' terminals, a simplified form of those seen on the Ravensworth escutcheons. The two bowls are from Sutton Hoo, nos. 1 and 3, and both have circular escutcheons. No. 3 has a very simple fine-line design of peltae and circles, but no. 1 also has large fine-line spirals with open centres containing birds' heads. On the hook-mounts and the basal disc the birds' heads are in pairs in each spiral, and have no crests. There are similar large spirals on the square mounts on this bowl, but these are crested singletons. The Brill escutcheon and the Sutton Hoo mounts therefore represent the best parallels to the Ravensworth escutcheons.

The millefiori is generally difficult to parallel in detail. Design A is close to the circular slab with white star on dark ground found on the Manton Warren and Sutton Hoo (1) bowls, but these both have a red ring around the central white dot and no outer red ring (Bruce-Mitford 2005, col. pl. 4 (a)3 and (b)9). The other designs do not seem to be closely paralleled, although the basic technique of sub-dividing the slab into four or nine is characteristic of millefiori on early-medieval hanging-bowls. Design B looks superficially similar to panels on the exterior basal of the Myklebostad bowl (dated by Bruce-Mitford to the 8th or early 9th century) (2005, 387, no. 152, col pl 6(e)). The basic pattern of Design E is also found on the central roundel of the Bekesbourne hanging bowl (Bruce-Mitford 2005, no. 33).

Hook-escutcheon discs with central recesses for settings are thought to post-date the furnished burial tradition, so probably to date to the 8th century (Bruce-Mitford 2005, 103). Central voids are found on the hook-escutcheon discs from Bekesbourne and Loveden Hill (1) (Bruce-Mitford no. 33, figs. 127 and 129; no. 54, fig. 223) and on LIN-75B9C3 on the PAS database. Basal discs with central voids or with bosses are - unknown?

In conclusion, there are several remarkable features of this bowl which distinguish it from other hanging bowls. Firstly the fine-line decoration has until now always been found exclusively on A bowls (Bruce-Mitford 2005, 12). Secondly, millefiori has until now not been found on long escutcheons (although it is found on one bowl with long escutcheons (the St Paul-in-the-Bail bowl, Bruce-Mitford 2005, no. 53), on this bowl it is confined to the circular basal discs).