https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/templates/general_wide/img/logo.png https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/ https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/artefact.html https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/artefact/post-medieval-to-modern/clasps/hooked-clothes-fasteners/hooked-clothes-fastener-59238.html Mon, 27 Apr 2026 14:21:08 GMT Hooked clothes fasteners  

Description:		A one-piece single sharp-hooked clasp of the early post-medieval period. The plate is circular, with moulded relief and openwork decoration. The design is an equal-armed cross within a linear circle. The cross has a pellet at the centre and circular openwork decoration in the quadrants, which now appears to be blocked, or possibly unfettled. The edge of the plate is beaded and engrailed.  The sharp rearward-facing hook is present; the rectangular attachment loop is missing.
Category:		Post-Medieval to Modern, Clasps, Hooked clothes fasteners
Category:		Hooked clothes fasteners

]]> https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/artefact/medieval/finger-rings/finger-ring-bezel-59235.html Fri, 24 Apr 2026 15:12:28 GMT Finger rings  

Description:		A silver-gilt bezel from a medieval finger ring. The bezel is square with rediused corners and simple punched decoration. The decoration consists of a square spiral of dots with a cross at the centre, possibly representing a physical journey to a spiritual destination. The back of the bezel is diagonally recessed to accommodate the hoop such that it would have been orientated lozengewise to the finger when worn. The hoop would have been soldered in position, but is now missing.
Category:		Medieval, Finger rings
Category:		Finger rings

]]> https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/artefact/medieval/seal-matrices/seal-matrix-59233.html Sun, 19 Apr 2026 19:06:05 GMT Seal matrices  

Description:		A vesica-shaped personal seal matrix of the medieval period. The intaglio design is difficult to interpret, but would appear to depict a fantastic flying quadruped with a human-head. The human head wears the hood of a jester or fool, most likely an allusion to the foolishness of man, which is found on many other seals of the time (e.g. UKDFD 12323). However, the detail of the hood is unusual; it is fashioned in the form of a bird-of-prey's head with hooked beak, which faces rearwards as worn. The Latin inscription is * S' THOME D' *LE GRENE - Seal of Thomas de le Grene. The back of the seal is plain except for a median rib, which terminates in a pierced suspension lug at one end. Origins of the de la Grene family name: The family name de la Grene (and its variants del Grene, de Grene) is of Anglo-Saxon origin, dating back to the late 12th century, with its roots primarily located in England. It is a locational surname that emerged from the Old English word "grene," referring to someone who lived near a village green, common land, or a grassy area.
Category:		Medieval, Seal matrices
Category:		Seal matrices

]]> https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/artefact/medieval/mounts/quatrefoil-mount-59234.html Sun, 19 Apr 2026 19:33:22 GMT Mounts  

Description:		A quatrefoil-shaped mount of the medieval period, probably from a book cover. The mount has a hollow-domed central boss and four peripheral pierced lugs at the cardinal points. The boss is decorated in moulded relief with a central lozenge, around which there is an inner circle of four crescents and an outer circle of eight wedges.The wedges point alternately towards and away from the centre. One of the pierced lugs retains the corroded remnants of an iron rivet. For protection against wear and tear, valuable books of the medieval period were adorned with matching conical or domed mounts that were placed at each corner, and often also in the centre, of the outer covers. See also UKDFD 57420.
Category:		Medieval, Mounts
Category:		Mounts

]]> https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/artefact/medieval/seal-matrices/seal-matrix-59231.html Sun, 19 Apr 2026 15:19:22 GMT Seal matrices  

Description:		An oval copper-alloy seal matrix with tapering hexagonal-section handle surmounted by a lozenge-shaped suspension loop. The engraved device is a male human head in profile. The intended inscription is * CAPVT SERVI DEI - Head of a Servant of God, but the letters U and V - both the vowel and consonant were a single letter at the time - have been rendered as C, resulting in * CAPCT SERCI DEI. See also UKDFD 38944.
Category:		Medieval, Seal matrices
Category:		Seal matrices

]]> https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/artefact/post-medieval-to-modern/miscellaneous/engraved-bead-59226.html Sun, 12 Apr 2026 21:00:52 GMT Miscellaneous  

Description:		An unusual cylindrical stone bead, centrally drilled along the axis and engraved with a long-haired, bearded face, possibly that of Jesus, as suggested by the recorder. The bead itself is closely similar to some that were made in classical antiquity and often served at that time as cylindrical seals (see composite image, 6). These were engraved with various intaglio designs around the circumference, such that when they were rotated on a soft clay surface, a repeating pattern in relief was created. The style of the present engraving, however, is very much more recent and in cameo rather than intaglio. The design also occupies only part of the bead's surface, whereas the ancient seals were invariably engraved around the full circumference. The following suggestion is speculative, but it has not been possible to trace any persuasive parallel objects. It is plausible that the bead is of ancient manufacture and was originally plain, but then engraved in the post-medieval or modern period. This was possibly done during the revival of antiquarian interest following the excavation of Pompeii, etc., from the mid 18th to early 19th century. It might have been used as a devotional object, either as a jewellery component or for attachment to a rosary.
Category:		Post-Medieval to Modern, Miscellaneous
Category:		Miscellaneous

]]> https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/artefact/post-medieval-to-modern/badges/civilian-badges/crescentic-stud-from-lapel-badge-59225.html Sun, 12 Apr 2026 19:40:08 GMT Civilian badges  

Description:		The detached crescentic attachment stud from the back of a lapel badge. For a lapel badge with a generally similar stud, see UKDFD 27995.
Category:		Post-Medieval to Modern, Badges, Civilian badges
Category:		Civilian badges

]]> https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/artefact/medieval/thimbles/thimble-59223.html Tue, 07 Apr 2026 20:10:12 GMT Thimbles  

Description:		A rimless domed copper-alloy thimble with manually produced circular indentations. The indentations are arranged in vertical lines on the lower part of the thimble, and in concentric circles around a central plain area on the top. The thimble also has a faint circumferential groove around the base. This type of thimble is often described as a ’skep’ or ‘beehive thimble’ on account of its shape.
Category:		Medieval, Thimbles
Category:		Thimbles

]]> https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/artefact/medieval/strap-ends/strap-end-59209.html Sat, 28 Mar 2026 16:33:09 GMT Strap-ends  

Description:		A composite three-piece strap-end comprising sheet front and back plates and a cast forked spacer. The attachment edge is straight and square, and the spacer has a single-collared, acorn-shaped terminal knop. There are two visible rivet holes with surviving copper-alloy rivets, one at the attachment end for retaining the strap, and one immediately above the knop for securing the front and back plates. There is possibly a second strap-retaining rivet closer to the attachment edge, but not discernible on the images. The front plate is decorated with a border of punch-marks; the back plate is plain.
Category:		Medieval, Strap-ends
Category:		Strap-ends

]]> https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/artefact/early-medieval/hooked-tags/hooked-tag-59198.html Sun, 22 Mar 2026 14:15:54 GMT Hooked tags  

Description:		An Anglo-Saxon triangular hooked tag (dress hook). The tag is triangular in shape, with randomly applied wriggle work and punched-dot decoration on the front surface. The upper edge of the triangle, which contained the holes that allowed the tag to be sewn to a garment, is missing, as is most of the sharp rearward-facing hook.  For a similar complete example, see UKDFD21392
Category:		Early Medieval, Hooked tags
Category:		Hooked tags

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