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/medieval/mounts/quatrefoil-mount-59296.html Thu, 18 Jun 2026 10:46:20 GMT Mounts  

Description:		A quatrefoil-shaped mount of the medieval period, possibly from a book cover (see below). The mount has a hollow, conical central boss and four peripheral pierced lugs at the cardinal points. The exterior of the boss is decorated with eight triangular recesses, equally spaced and arranged radially, such that they create the effect of the mount having eight spokes. The peripheral lugs appear to be moulded in the form of devolved animal heads with angular, rearward-facing ears. All four, however, are broken across the piercing.  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/early-medieval/pins/hair-or-dress-pin-59294.html Fri, 12 Jun 2026 17:19:16 GMT Pins  

Description:		An incomplete copper-alloy hair or dress pin, consisting of the head and a very short length of the shaft. The head is of polyhedral form with ring-and-dot motifs on each of the facets. The surviving part of the shaft is of slender proportions with an indistinct collar immediately below the head.
Category:		Early Medieval, Pins
Category:		Pins

]]> https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/artefact/medieval/finger-rings/finger-ring-59293.html Fri, 12 Jun 2026 14:58:27 GMT Finger rings  

Description:		A copper-alloy finger ring of the late medieval to early post-medieval period. The ring has a slender oval bezel and a hoop of D-shaped cross-section, which tapers slightly at the shoulders. The bezel is decorated with an incised motif in the form of a pentagram, or linear five-pointed star, within a border of multiple punched dots. The motif is possibly symbolic. In medieval times, the pentagram was regarded as a Christian symbol representing the Five Wounds of Christ and also as representing the five senses. For further details, see the 'Pentagram' entry on Wikipedia.
Category:		Medieval, Finger rings
Category:		Finger rings

]]> https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/artefact/roman/brooches/bow-brooches/colchester-two-piece-brooch-59292.html Thu, 11 Jun 2026 11:57:50 GMT Bow brooches  

Description:		A Colchester Two-piece brooch of the early Roman period. It is of the type that has a double-pierced lug for the sprung pin mechanism, the lower perforation to hold the axis bar of the spring, and the upper one to secure the chord. It has short, semi-cylindrical, undecorated wings. The bow is arched and D-shaped in profile; a pronounced midrib occupies the upper section, it then tapers to an understated foot. On the back of the bow is a triangular, perforated catchplate with curved return. The spring remains in situ; the pin is missing.
Category:		Roman, Brooches, Bow brooches
Category:		Bow brooches

]]> https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/artefact/iron-age/brooches/la-tene-iii-brooch-59290.html Thu, 11 Jun 2026 11:50:25 GMT Brooches  

Description:		An incomplete late Iron-Age brooch of La Tène III type. The bow is undecorated, rectangular in section, and arched in profile; it tapers towards the foot and terminates with a solid sub-triangular catchplate. The bilateral spring and pin are missing. The La Tène III brooch is a derivative of the continental Nauheim type. It evolved on the continent around the beginning of the 1st century BC and was brought to Britain by the Belgae.
Category:		Iron Age, Brooches
Category:		Brooches

]]> https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/artefact/medieval/mounts/shield-shaped-stud-59281.html Sat, 30 May 2026 09:14:23 GMT Mounts  

Description:		A small shield-shaped stud or mount of the medieval perriod. The stud is of typical heraldic 'heater shield' shape, the front of which is decorated with three horizontal grooves. Unfortunately, no enamel inlay or metal plating is present, so tracing the intended heraldic arms is not possible. The back of the stud has a circular-section integral rivet with peened end projecting rearwards from the centre.
Category:		Medieval, Mounts
Category:		Mounts

]]> https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/artefact/post-medieval-to-modern/weights/uncertain-and-other-weights/lid-of-nested-cup-weight-set-59275.html Thu, 28 May 2026 18:55:37 GMT Uncertain and other weights  

Description:		The hinged lid only from a set of nested copper-alloy cup-weights. The lid is incised with three concentric double-line circles on both the inner and outer faces, and the latter is also inscribed with the Roman numeral XVI and some uncertain letters. It would originally have been attached to the outer cup of the set, and retains its hinge lug and locating lug. The hinged assembly of the lid and the outer cup would have provided the largest denomination, 16 ounces in the present case, as indicated by the inscribed XVI. The uncertain letters possibly include an 'A' for the averdepois trade weight system, although sets of this type are usually associated with the troy weight system used for weighing precious metals. The other weights in the set would have been binary divisions, i.e. 8, 4, 2 and 1 ounces and possibly half an ounce. For a generally similar complete set, see UKDFD 46399.
Category:		Post-Medieval to Modern, Weights, Uncertain and other weights
Category:		Uncertain and other weights

]]> https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/artefact/medieval/brooches/annular-brooch-59273.html Mon, 25 May 2026 12:12:53 GMT Brooches  

Description:		A complete annular brooch of the medieval period. The frame is plain and of uniform flat rectangular cross-section. It is locally narrowed at one point to fit and laterally locate the pin. The pin has a transverse ridge at the hinged end and tapers uniformly along its length to a blunt point.
Category:		Medieval, Brooches
Category:		Brooches

]]> https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/artefact/post-medieval-to-modern/jewellery-and-dress-accessories/brooches/sweetheart-brooch-south-wales-borderers-59269.html Mon, 25 May 2026 11:28:53 GMT Brooches  

Description:		A South Wales Borderers silver sweetheart brooch, a cap badge style example, first introduced in 1896. The brooch loosely follows the regimental cap badge design, which depicts a sphinx on an Egypt tablet within a wreath of "Immortelles,"  SWB monogram below, and was probably mounted on a bar. The decorative engraving is distinctly from the late 19th to early 20th century. As the SWB was involved in the Boer War (1899-1902) and WWI (1914-1918), a date of 1899- 1918  is probably appropriate.
Category:		Post-Medieval to Modern, Jewellery and dress accessories, Brooches
Category:		Brooches

]]> https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/artefact/post-medieval-to-modern/jewellery-and-dress-accessories/brooches/twisted-frame-brooch-59266.html Sun, 24 May 2026 07:29:41 GMT Brooches  

Description:		A 'twisted frame' or 'love knot' brooch, fabricated from two lengths of drawn wire; the ends of the wires have triangular terminals. Applied to the frame is a circular plate with a red glass cabochon at the centre, which is surrounded by an outer border of thirteen small cells that probably held cut glass stones of a contrasting colour. The fastening device is missing.
Category:		Post-Medieval to Modern, Jewellery and dress accessories, Brooches
Category:		Brooches

]]>