File:Early Early-Medieval buckle (FindID 517779).jpg

English: An incomplete Early Early-Medieval sixth-century copper-alloy rectangular mount, rather bent (possibly from heat distortion) and missing one corner (jagged break). It measures 25.78x22.70x5.99mm and weighs 6.76g.

To the reverse are two intact and one incomplete rivets, one in each corner. Those that survive measures 2-3mm in diameter. The thickness of the plate without the rivets is 3.00mm. The original patina seems to survive in the corners of the reverse with a missing pitted patch at the centre.

At the centre of the plate is a square recess with raised and thickened walls flanking the edges. This would have presumably held a garnet or red glass. Outside the raised wall is a thinner wall the same height as the decorative frieze behind. The frieze details Style I decoration, and on mounts such as these is often two profile animals each going round two sides and one corner (Helen Geake pers.comm. 2012). A possible eye can be seen in one corner (diagonally opposed to the missing corner) with a possible leg and foot along the longer side next to it. Opposite to this on the other side is another possible end of a foot. The bodies are double stranded. The edge of the plate also has a raised and thickened edge with a shorter and thinner inner wall.

The mount would have originally been gilded and can be compared with four similar square or rectangular 'miscellaneous belt fittings' in MacGregor and Bolick, 1993:.210-1,1 nos 36.1-36.4. The date is mid to late sixth century, c. 520-600 AD.

With many thanks to Dr Helen Geake, National Finds Adviser, for the interpretation of the Style I animals.