252 (47)

223

Mounts

en-Auxois in France appears to show a purse suspended from a U-shaped fitting of another type not identified among the recent finds (Neil Stratford, pers. comm.).

Excavated mounts of the present type have in the past often been published as handles (eg Hume 1863, 197 and pl XX nos. 2-4 & 6-10; Jackson 1986, 276-77 no. 5 fig 7).

Number 1194, one of the earliest of these items, is of a slightly different character from the others (which are all cast), but the basie similarity is elear. The cast examples are notably well-made and neatly finished.

All of the excavated examples are of copper alloy. They are listed in order of length, within ceramic phases.

1194 SWA81 acc. no. 4086 (context 2137) ceramic phase 9 fig 140

Single drawn-wire arch, 1 35mm, looped at each end through a sheet-metal mount, which at the front has a subrectangular terminal with an engraved saltire cross, and at the back a wedge-shaped end; the mounts are secured by rivets with roves and traces of solder (MLC) to a plain leather strap 7mm wide and c.305mm long (tom off at both ends).

Ashmolean Museum collection

1198

(died 1275) (1:1, except bottom not to scalę)