https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/templates/general_wide/img/logo.png https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/ https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/artefact/early-medieval/mounts.html https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/artefact/early-medieval/mounts/circular-mount-or-stud-59152.html Thu, 26 Feb 2026 17:07:04 GMT Mounts  

Description:		A large discoidal mount or stud dating to the Anglo-Saxon period. The face of the disc is decorated with four equally spaced swirl motifs that create an expanding armed cross between. The cells were most likely once enamelled, but all traces have now disappeared. On the back is an integral singular attachment stud that is sub-square in cross section and projects from the centre of the disc. See;  UKDFD 31453 & UKDFD 19550. Note also decorative treatment to later disc brooch as similar; UKDFD 33656.
Category:		Early Medieval, Mounts
Category:		Mounts

]]> https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/artefact/early-medieval/mounts/circular-mount-58992.html Fri, 07 Nov 2025 15:06:09 GMT Mounts  

Description:		A small flat circular mount of the Middle Anglo-Saxon period. The front of the mount is gilded and decorated ('chip-carved') with a triple-stranded Style II Animal interlace pattern. The back of the mount is plain and has the corroded remains of a central iron stud or rivet for attachment. See also UKDFD 41563.
Category:		Early Medieval, Mounts
Category:		Mounts

]]> https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/artefact/early-medieval/mounts/pyramidal-mount-57993.html Thu, 09 May 2024 12:35:05 GMT Mounts  

Description:		A chip-carved and gilded pyramidal mount of the middle Anglo-Saxon period. The mount is hollow and truncated at its apex. The four side faces are each decorated with an Insular style knotwork design in sunken relief. The square top face is indented at the centre, but undecorated. There would originally have been a bar across the base of the mount to provide the means by which it was attached to the parent object, but it is now missing. Two elaborate gold pyramid mounts were found at either side of the sword hilt at the Sutton Hoo ship burial (dated c. AD 625). One theory, therefore, is that they are sword or scabbard mounts, but their exact function remains uncertain. The ’sword theory’ is somewhat weakened by the fact that one was found in the grave of a woman at Uncleby, Yorkshire.
Category:		Early Medieval, Mounts
Category:		Mounts

]]> https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/artefact/early-medieval/mounts/pyramid-mount-57973.html Tue, 30 Apr 2024 13:03:08 GMT Mounts  

Description:		A simple hollow cast pyramid mount of the Anglo-Saxon period. The pyramid is undecorated with a square base, a worn pointed apex and integral attachment bar spanning the base. The mount is one of a growing corpus of simple and complex examples in differing shapes, sizes, materials, construction and ornamentation, the most common form being pyramidal. Presently, the generic term 'pyramid mount' is used for type. When rarely recovered in graves, they are found in pairs and to a lesser degree, singularly. The most celebrated being the two elaborate pyramid mounts found either side of the King's sword at the Sutton Hoo ship burial (dated c. AD 625), and so from their position, a decorative strap mount for adorning sword and scabbard sets is presently thought likely for purpose. Nigel Mills (see below) believes that these mounts may have followed on from the earlier pommel rings from Kent and denoted fielty or possibly rank and status. Interestingly, singular mounts have also been found in female pagan graves of the period from Uncleby, Yorkshire and Finglesham, Kent. See also; UKDFD 226, UKDFD 45618 & UKDFD 7354
Category:		Early Medieval, Mounts
Category:		Mounts

]]> https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/artefact/early-medieval/mounts/mount-21685.html Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT Mounts  

Description:		A rectangular (almost square) decorative mount of the late Anglo-Saxon to Norman period. The front depicts a rearward facing beast of griffin-like appearance, which has been pared into the surface by hand leaving the design in relief. The formed animal has an upturned nose, gaping mouth and wide eyes, all seemingly influenced by the late Viking 'Ringerike' style of the 11th century. It also has long curled ears and a stylised wing or tail. The mount has no attachment fittings to the rear; the front retains much of the applied gilding. Anglo-Saxon artwork developed from early chip-carved geometric patterns and entwined animal forms to singular fantastic beasts within panels in the 9th century. With Scandinavian influence, this abstract animal style then continued until phased out with more naturalistic die-stamped applications of the 13th century.
Category:		Early Medieval, Mounts
Category:		Mounts

]]> https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/artefact/early-medieval/mounts/anthropomorphic-mount-57561.html Wed, 30 Aug 2023 12:41:21 GMT Mounts  

Description:		A tongue-shaped mount dating from the late Anglo-Saxon/Scandinavian period. The design in relief is somewhat worn on the surface, but appears to depict a figure with stalk-like body and outstretched limbs contained within an arched and grooved frame. Raised animal heads, although now very worn, appear to be vertically positioned upon the central body/stalk (one at the groin and one on the torso, and possibly a third at the head). The six fields created between the limbs also have ear-shaped foliate mouldings and there is a small moulded loop at the apex of the inner arch. The back is flat and undecorated and there is no evidence of attachment. The worn characteristics can be compared with stirrup-strap mounts adorned with anthropomorphic and zoomorphic representations; UKDFD 15054, UKDFD 6652 & KENT-BDE7F9. It is also worth noting animal face-masks appearing on Scandinavian influenced harness related material; SUR-F2A72B, and similarities to a Carolingian style artefact; NLM-DF6ED2.
Category:		Early Medieval, Mounts
Category:		Mounts

]]> https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/artefact/early-medieval/mounts/mount-57325.html Sat, 15 Apr 2023 13:51:55 GMT Mounts  

Description:		A small gilt copper-alloy mount of the Anglo-Saxon period. The mount is incomplete, with one fractured end. It is decorated with a double-stranded interlace design to the centre, and has gilding within the recesses of the pattern. On the back, a single circular-sectioned lug remains for attachment purposes.
Category:		Early Medieval, Mounts
Category:		Mounts

]]> https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/artefact/early-medieval/mounts/anthropomorphic-mount-27903.html Wed, 20 Oct 2010 00:00:00 GMT Mounts  

Description:		A cast copper-alloy mount (probably from a vessel or similar) in the form of a face-mask dating to the Anglo-Saxon period. The mount depicts a male face with arched eyebrows over large round eyes and broad nose. The hair is swept back over the ears and the beard is pointed below a single banded moustache. The back of the mount is hollow with remains of solder present. Similar mounts are depicted in the below reference material and are noted for resembling the head decorations recovered from the 'Sutton Hoo' burial (early 7th century) which probably represent the god Woden, or a mythical character of legend.
Category:		Early Medieval, Mounts
Category:		Mounts

]]> https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/artefact/early-medieval/mounts/carolingian-mount-57245.html Mon, 27 Mar 2023 18:57:24 GMT Mounts  

Description:		A decorative silver-gilt mount dating to the early medieval period. The design is typically Carolingian in style, ornately cast and surface treated with a fine silver foil plating and then partially gilded. The face is convexly moulded, the detailing all in high relief with an overall cushioned and layered effect. At the base of the design is a voided cross, above which four trilobate leaves form a cluster and are centrally and equally placed apart. Surmounting the design and separating the cluster of leaves is a saltire cross with central boss and fleur-de-lis terminals. The terminals are each collared, and angle downwards following the contour of the design in profile form. The long outer leaves of each lis have a linear niello infill and curve backwards around an ovoid piercing to create openwork corners. Visible from the side only, the ends of the voided cross arms are each indented with two small hollows. The facial design has been plated with a relatively thick and polished silver foil, and all the recesses have been gilded, which largely survives intact. A small patch of iron corrosion is evident within the centre of one of the trilobate leaves, which is only visible to the front surface. The back is cast with a plain and deep concave centre, which displays a paler gilding colour over the base casting. To the surface of the back, scored tooling marks are visible, likely from the original casting pattern. The top of the mount (as imaged) has a very thin and  incomplete flat projection, which may have originally been for attachment purposes. On the back, all the facing edges have a dull grey surface, which is possibly the remains of solder where the mount was attached (repaired?) to another object. The decorative mount is of a type associated with high status Frankish sword belts and matching equestrian accessories. It is interesting to note that this is the only Carolingian fitting traced to date with an openwork design.  See also; ESS-2B2E50, UKDFD 54687, ESS-109B16, DENO-872273, SF-1E8422, KENT-A87012, HESH-26E9D1, NMS-F7F6BE, NMS-ADCA16 & LIN-2D80AB. The Frankish Carolingian style re-emerged decoratively within the Classical Renaissance period under Emperor Charlemagne (768-814). The fitting is one of a small but growing corpus of Carolingian artefacts found in Britain, predominantly along the east coast within the Danelaw. Pilgrimage, migration and Scandinavian activity may explain why these artefacts, being fairly rare in recovered examples, have come to be found in England. Interestingly, a little later around the 10th century within England, a similar and possibly influenced design evolved, collectively known as the 'Winchester Style', being centrally dominant in Alfred's Wessex. Aesthetically, this encapsulates the naturalistic and insular art form inspired by Christian beliefs evolving within the later Anglo-Saxon period. See strap-end; UKDFD 36541 as a stylistic example.
Category:		Early Medieval, Mounts
Category:		Mounts

]]> https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/artefact/early-medieval/mounts/circular-mount-57128.html Wed, 11 Jan 2023 15:05:08 GMT Mounts  

Description:		An elaborate chip-carved and gilt circular mount dating to the middle Anglo-Saxon period. The face of the disc is cast in relief, with seven petals forming a stylised flower with curlicue terminals that rotate clockwise from a central boss. The design is contained within a plain circumferential rim, and much of the contrasting gilt finish survives. The back of the mount is flat with no signs of attachment. The disc has two small perforations near the outer edge, which do not appear to be deliberate. The ornamental disc, albeit small, was possibly used to adorn harness fittings of the period, but other possibilities exist.
Category:		Early Medieval, Mounts
Category:		Mounts

]]>