312 (36)

284

Dress Accessories

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184 Lace chapes (1:1)

1426    TL74 1281 (368)

1 26mm, d 2 - 1.5mm; brass (AML); both ends faceted; rivet hole.

1427    TL74 1279 (368)

1 28mm, d 2 - lmm; brass (AML); both ends faceted; rivet hole.

1428    SWA81    2236    (2115)    fig 184

1 30mm, d 2 - 1.5mm; brass (AML); both ends faceted; rivet present.

1429    SWA81    1098    (2100)

1 30mm, d 2.5 - 1.5mm; gunmetal (AML); both ends faceted; rivet hole.

1430    SWA81    2035    (2106/2107)

1 30.5mm, d 2.5- 1.5mm; brass (AML); both ends faceted; rivet present.

1431    TL74 2209 (368)

1 31.5, d 2.5 - 1.5mm; brass (AML); both ends faceted; contents ?degraded leather.

1432    TL74 119 (364)

1 32mm, d c.2 - lmm; gunmetal (AML); wide end faceted.

1433    TL74 1280 (368)

1 33mm, d c.2 - 1.5mm; brass (AML); wide end possibly broken off, narrow end faceted; rivet hole.

1434    BWB83 1924 (313)

1 35mm, d 2.5-1.5mm; brass (AML); narrow end faceted; rivet hole.

1435    SWA81 4989 (2082)

137mm, d 2.5 - lmm; brass (AML); wide end faceted.

Unphased

1436 BWB83 2269 (128)

1 27mm, d 2-1.5mm; brass (AML); narrow end faceted; rivet hole.

In contrast to the above items, some mainly earlier objects of a broadly similar character, which are all morę than 40mm in length and have no evidence of rivets, cannot be identified with certainty. Nonę of them contains identifiable materiał that can be interpreted as the remains of a lace. The same is true of later examples of comparably large size. These bigger items are listed below as possible chapes (nos. 1437-1449). Traces of wood in a brass (AML) tubę 39mm long, c.5mm in diameter and broken off at both ends (BIG82 acc. no. 4058, from a ceramic-phase 7 deposit) hints at other functions for some of these items.

Discussion

The tighter, figure-hugging fashions from the 14th century onwards (Newton 1980 , 3 & 8) would have produced a great demand for laces. Cf AR Goodall (1983, 232) for a similar chronological pattem in the chapes found at Sandał Castle in Yorkshire. The London assemblage adds to the pre-1400 finds of chapes in Northampton (Oakley 1979, 263) and at Sandał Castle (Goodall no. 40).