Late Saxon Stirrup-Strap Mounts: A Classification and Catalogue. A Contribution to the Study of Late Saxon Ornamental Metalwork

136 Pages·1997·31.687 MB·English

by  David Williams

Late Saxon stirrup-strap mounts
t
[:
Late Saxon
stirrup-strap mounts
A classification and catalogue
A contribution to the study of Late Saxon
ornamental metalwork
David Williams
1997
CBA Research Report 111
Council for British Archaeology
Published 1997 by the Council for British Archaeology
Bowes Morrell House, 111 Walmgate, York Y012UA
Copyright © Author and Council for British Archaeology
All rights reserved
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN 1 872414 84 2
Typeset from author's disks by Archetype IT Ltd
web site: http://www.archetype-it.com
Printed by York Publishing Services
Cover design by Barry Perks Graphic Design, York
Cover photography by Chris Packham
Contents
List of figures . . . VI
Acknowledgments
IX
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Classification, Interpretation and Discussion 2
Dating ... . .... . 8
The Decorative Content 9
Distribution . 14
The Catalogue 24
Class A Mounts 24
Types 1-17 . 26
Unclassified Class A mounts 78
Class B Mounts 85
Types 1-4 .. 85
Unclassified Class B mounts 98
Class C Mounts . . . . . . . . . 100
Unclassified and Uncertain Mounts 102
Appendix ..... . 104
Continental Mounts 105
An iron stirrup-strap mount from Eynsham Abbey, Oxon 109
Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Gazetteer offindspots by county 112
List of Mounts in Permanent Collections . 117
Note on the illustrations . 119
Index by Peter Rea . . . . 120
V
List of figures
1 Diagram illustrating the main features of stirrup-strap mounts of Classes A and B.
2 11th century stirrups with integral plates or strap mounts from England and. the continent.
a Iron stirrup with strap mount from Velds, central Jutland (after Worsaae 1859, 116, no
480).
b Stirrup-strap plate from Klagstorp, southern Sweden (after Stromberg 1961, Taf67.2).
c Stirrup with integral strap plate from Bavelse, Denmark (after Stromberg 1961, 146, Tex
tabb. 9).
d Stirrup with integral strap plate from Romsey, Hants (after Seaby and Woodfield 1980, 107,
fig4, no 9).
e Stirrup with integral strap plate from Lundby, central Sweden (after Graham-Campbell
1991, 83, fig 2).
f Stirrup with integral strap plate from Bronsistao, Iceland (after Eldjarn, 1H56, 418, fig
190); alongside, at same scale, mount of Class A, Type 1 (9).
3 Iron stirrup from Ziefen, Switzerland with iron strap attachment (after Tauber 1980, 226,
41). Alongside, at same scale, mount' of Class B, Type 1 (399).
4 a Iron stirrup from Chalgrove, Oxfordshire, with copper-alloy terminals and collars. Class
A, Type 8 mount (137) is shown in position.
b Suggested relationship between strap mount, iron fitting and stirrup leather (after Robin
son 1992).
5 Details of union knots, pendent lobes and other motifs found on mounts of Class A.
6 Details of heads of Scandinavian-type beasts found on stirrup-strap mounts.
7 Design showing a pair of addorsed beasts on a drum brooch from Gotland, Sweden (after
Smith 1923, fig 220).
8 Lion from the Crowl and Psalter. (Backhouse et al, 1984, No 68.)
9 Detail from the Bayeux Tapestry showing a man entwined with snakes or tendrils.
10 Distribution of stirrup-strap mounts in England.
11 Distribution of mounts of Class A, Type 1.
12 Distribution ofmounts of Class A, Types 2-5.
13 Distribution of mounts of Class A, Types 6, 7 and 9.
14 Distribution of mounts of Class A, Types 8 and 10.
15 Distribution of mounts of Class A, Type 11.
16 Distribution of mounts of Class A, Types 12-14.
17 Distribution of mounts of Class B.
18 Types of flange found on Class A mounts.
A Common right angle flange; B stepped flange; C angled flange; D rolled flange.
19 Mounts of Class A, Type 1.
20 Mounts of Class A, Type 1.
21 Mounts of Class A, Type 1.
22 Mounts of Class A, Type 1.
23 Mounts of Class A, Type 1.
24 Mounts of Class A, Type 2.
25 Mounts of Class A, Type 3.
26 Mounts of Class A, Type 3.
27 Mounts of Class A, Type 4.
28 Mounts of Class A, Type 5.
29 Mounts of Class A, Type 6.
V1
30 Mounts of Class A, Type 6.
31 Mounts of Class A, Type 7.
32 Mounts of Class A, Type 8.
33 Mounts of Class A, Type 8.
34 Mounts of Class A, Type 8.
35 Mounts of Class A, Type 9.
36 Mounts of Class A, Type 10.
37 Mounts of Class A, Type 10.
38 Mounts of Class A, Type 10.
39 Mounts of Class A, Type 11.
40 Mounts of Class A, Type 11
41 Mounts of Class A, Type 11.
42 Mounts of Class A, Type 11.
43 Mounts of Class A, Type 11.
44 Mounts of Class A, Type 11.
45 Mounts of Class A, Type 12.
46 Mounts of Class A, Type 12.
4 7 Mounts of Class A, Type 12.
48 Mounts of Class A, Types 12 and 13.
49 Mounts of Class A, Types 14 and 15.
50 Mounts of Class A, Types 16 and 17 ( 360 after Atkin 1991, fig 1).
51 Unclassified mounts of Class A.
52 Unclassified mounts of Class A.
53 Unclassified mounts of Class A (390 after Hinton 1974a, fig 2).
54 Mounts of Class B, Type 1.
55 Mounts of Class B, Types 1 and 2.
56 Mounts of Class B, Types 2 and 3.
57 Mounts of Class B, Type 3.
58 Mounts of Class B, Type 3.
59 Mounts of Class B, Types 3 and 4.
60 Mounts of Class B, Type 4 and Unclassified (473 after Read 1987, 72, no 6; 474 after Bu'lock
1960, fig 6a).
61 Unclassified mounts of Class B (479 after Huggins 1988, fig 12).
62 Mounts of Class C.
63 Unclassified mounts and mounts of uncertain attribution.
64 Appendix of additional mounts.
65 Continental mounts (2 after Stromberg 1961, Taf 72.3; 12 after Roes 1958, pl17, no 2).
Plate 1 Strap mount and stirrup from Kvalsta, central Sweden (photo Antikvarisk
Topografiska Arkivet).
vii