File:A Medieval to early Post-Medieval buckle frame. (FindID 986128).jpg

English: A Medieval to early Post-Medieval buckle frame dating to c. AD 1350-1650. This copper-alloy buckle frame is either a complete single looped 'D' shaped buckle frame with projecting recurved spurs (c. AD 1300-1400) or an incomplete plain spectacle buckle, just less than half of which survives (c. AD 1350-1650). Whichever type of buckle this is, the pin is missing.

This artefact weighs 1.93g, has a length of 15.9mm, width of 21.0mm and thickness of 2.0mm. The frame has a 'D' shaped cross-section, the reverse surface being flat. The complete 'D' shaped aperture in the frame has a width of 14.8mm and length of 8.8mm. The strap bar also has a 'D' shaped cross-section and width of 2.9mm. The outer edge of the frame dips in at either end of the central bar. Across the bar the frame has a reduced width of 19.8mm. No lobed knop is present on the outer edge within this narrowed area to either end of the strap bar. While the short projections of c.1.4mm length might be decorative spurs (as seen in example Whitehead, R. 2003, p.20. no.65) these might also be the worn breaks of the second loop on a double looped spectacle buckle. It is not possible to conclusively determine exactly which type of buckle this is. However, it should be noted that the angle of the terminal edge differs from one projection to the other. While worn, close examination of these terminals suggests a subtle irregular surface. The artefact has been recently coated in a waxy substance (possibly micro-crystaline wax) and as a result clear observation is curtailed. These two observations might lend support towards these being worn breaks rather than decorative recurving spurs.