File:Late early-medieval-medieval cheekpiece (bridle fitting) (FindID 470942).jpg

English: A slightly corroded fragment from a late early-medieval/Anglo-Scandinavian cast copper-alloy cheekpiece (c. 11th century AD). The fragment is formed of a curved Ringerike style animal head and neck in profile, possibly a dragon or sea monster. The cheekpiece is flat and the neck is long and the head is set at roughly right angles to it, but flares out to more like forty-five degrees at the top. On the outer edge of the curve is a pointed protrusion, suggesting an ear. At the end of the head is an angled point (at forty-five degrees), perhaps representing a horn. Below are two small lobed protrusions in a row; together these form the gaping jaws of the creature. Incised decoration on the upper surface of the head delineates these jaws. There are hints of an eye where the diagonal incised lines of the jaw converge. The design of the head is comparable with beasts represented on contemporary stirrup-strap mounts (see Williams 1997, 10; fig. 6). The upper surface of the neck is seemingly plain. Its outer edge is slightly bevelled.

The fragment is not readily classifiable using the relevant typology (Williams 2007), although comparable (decorated) cheekpiece fragments have been recorded on this database, for example HAMP-9A5B16. By comparison with other cheekpieces it is supposed that this animal head would have projected on one side of the cheekpiece with a corresponding head on the other side. Where the necks join there would be a pierced hole, through which the bridle would be secured. The break is old and smooth. The artefact has corroded to a red-brown colour with dustings of off-white corrosion product.