File:Iron Age- Early Roman strap fitting (FindID 517231).jpg

English: A hoard of four Late Iron Age objects discovered close together, consisting of a dangler, a section of knobbed bracelet, a strap union/ junction and a plain harness ring.

1) An incomplete Late Iron Age/ Early Roman (100 BC - AD 100) dangler, measuring 33.78mm in length and weighing 31.93g. The shank measures c.8.3mm in diameter behind the openwork circular head, becoming oval in cross-section before the broken loop 7.49x6.88mm. The loop has a 8.69x11.28mm collar. Only two small projections of the loop survive, c.3.6mm diameter. It would have been c.14mm in diameter. The openwork circular head is D-shaped in cross-section, being flat to the reverse and measures 33.21mm diameter. It contains a threefold-whirligig with a raised circle at the centre, and at the centre of each arm. Each raised circle is further emphasised by a grooved area around it. The threefold-whirligig is within a circular frame (which in places is circular in cross-section and D-shaped in cross-section), c.2.5x2.7mm, and touches it in three places (at the end of its three arms). The areas between are open and the frame is damaged (old damage) at one section. The dangler is very similar to three from Kingsholm, Gloucester (Jope, M; 2000, p.285 and pl. 225 a-d). Jope comments that 'most of these hangers that have any context...seem to be fairly late, during the last century of pre-Roman Celtic independence, or even into the age of Romanization. But we have seen a much earlier tradition of openwork discs, and it is always possible that some....were made in the intervening centuries'. One of the Kingsholm danglers was still attached to a hook and probable casket binding, which gives rise to the suggestion that they were three of four handles for a casket. Others however were hung from a chatelaine (Jope 2000, pl. 225h).

2) A complete segment (probably a quarter or fifth) of copper alloy 'knobbed' bracelet dating from the Halstatt period to the end of the Iron Age (c.600 BC to AD 50). It measures 52.99x(max)10.54x9.18mm and weighs 16.77g.
The segment consists of six conjoined beads set in an arc. The beads are domed and c.9mm in height (max. thickness) and width. The four innermost beads are hollow on the underside (the socket being c.5mm diameter and c.6mm deep - one is filled with earth) while the outer two are solid with a central piercing from one face to the other, c.3mm in diameter. To one face the four innermost beads have broken projections. The outer two of these are at an angle, pointing to each respective end of the bracelet segment. The two at the centre project outwards at 90 degrees (less remains of these two). This bracelet fragment closely resembles a slightly larger example from Clynnog (Caernarvonshire) which shows a very similar design and hinging mechanism (Savory 1976, p. 26, fig. 36.1). The Clynnog example probably dates to the sixth or fifth century BC, but these bracelets may also have continued in use into the later Iron Age.

3) A Late Iron Age/ Early Roman (100 BC - AD 100) strap union or junction of Taylor and Brailsford (1985) Type 4 (miscellaneous), measuring 26.91x23.29x9.26mm and weighing 15.39mm. It consists of two backwards-facing crescents 3.77mm thick and 2.25mm wide, flattened to the reverse. Three of the four ends are worn and damaged but the fourth is complete, suggesting these crescents were not originally complete rings. Each point touches a globular knop c.9.3mm in diameter and 9.26mm tall (max. thickness). They stand on a thin, flat foot to the reverse, c.7mm diameter and c.0.8mm thick. Joining two of these together is a bar D-shaped in cross-section (c.3.8x2.6mm) either side of the crescents. The metal has a high tin alloy and silvery appearance, with patches of copper alloy corrosion on the higher points of the knops and around the edges of their feet. The object is comparable with Taylor and Brailsford (1985) no.52 from Saffron Walden, and classified as their Type 4. Although no contextual details are known to the Saffron Walden example, Taylor and Brailsford suggest a 100 BC - AD 100 date for their Type 4.

4) A plain copper alloy ring 22.24mm in diameter (internal 12.78mm) and weighing 6.64g. It is oval in cross-section and very pitted with light green corrosion. Almost all patina is missing but where it survives is dark brown and smooth. The ring appears thicker to one side (where the patina survives), possibly through wear. This ring was most likely associated with horse harness. Plain harness rings are difficult to date closely, but having been found in close proximity to the late Iron Age objects 1-3, and showing a similar patina, it is probable that this object is also Late Iron Age in date.

References:

Taylor, J. A. & Brailsford, J. W. 1985. 'British Iron Age Strap-Unions',in Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society, 51, p247-72.

Jope, M. 2000. Early Celtic Art of the British Isles. Oxford: Clarendon.

Savory, H. N. 1976. Guide Catalogue of the Early Iron Age Collections. Cardiff: National Museum of Wales.