File:Early Medieval Mount ILLUSTRATION by J. Gibbons (FindID 485049).jpg

English: Description: Early Anglo-Saxon incomplete cast gilded silver mount, possibly part of a sword pommel. Triangular in cross-section, hollow on the underside, with one closed end surviving, but broken before the other end; the break is neither particularly fresh nor particularly worn. The object is shaped like a prism, with the apex straight across the top of the object; while the lower edge, if originally symmetrical, is bi-concave (one curve survives and the lower edge slopes up to probably begin another). The closed end is straight and, apart from gilding, is flat and undecorated.

The object is decorated with three stylised Style I human masks in low chip-carved relief. One faces inwards from the enclosed end and is depicted as if draped across the apex, with eyebrows which meet in the centre and extend to form the nose. On one side of the face the eyebrow continues beyond, sweeping up to the edge of the mount; on the other side the eyebrow stops short in a more conventional manner. Above the eyebrows is another block which follows the same line and which may be intended as the forehead, hair or headgear. Although worn, this mask has prominent eyes, rounded cheeks, nose, downturned moustache, and chin.

The other masks, one on either face of the object, are less worn and slightly larger. They have prominent chins, each perhaps with a central dimple, thin moustaches or mouths, bulbous cheeks, a triangular nose, eyes above curved frames and very large eyebrows which curve downwards from their meeting point above the nose and then up again to scroll at the ends. Each set of brows meets the other at the apex of the object, both at the centre and at either scrolled end, and each are broad and apparently undecorated. Under the microscope a slightly more shiny central strip can be seen which represents a groove inlaid with niello, now decomposed.

The space between the masks is filled on either face with an S or reverse S-shaped relief scroll. On the face with the extended curved eyebrow, a short straight relief line links eyebrow to S-shape. Between the apex mask and the S shapes are ridges which frame the mask and also hang down like hair.

The curving lower edge is followed by a curving ridge, at the end of which are three (on one face) or four (on the other) ridges; the four ridges are on the face with the extended eyebrow, and are joined at their ends to make two long thin V shapes.

The underside is partially filled with a bubbly corroded metal, identified as a soft lead-tin solder (see below), with a broken circular-sectioned silver shank c. 3.3mm in diameter protruding from the solder between the two larger masks.

The lower edges are curving upwards and the beginnings of decoration similar to that on the surviving part can just be seen before the break. Therefore, if the object was originally symmetrical with the larger masks at the centre, about one third is missing and the original length would be c. 34mm.

Dimensions: Surviving length 25mm. Surviving height 12mm. Maximum surviving width 12mm. Weight 7.99g.

Analysis: Non-destructive X-ray fluorescence analysis of the surface of this mercury gilt silver mount indicated a composition of approximately 89% silver with at least 2% copper, lead and gold (largely from the gilding). The eyebrows are inlaid with niello, and tin with lead detected on the back indicates the presence of soft solder.

Discussion: This object is extremely hard to parallel. A gilded silver early Anglo-Saxon object of similar size, with human masks in the centre and at the single surviving end, was found at Aldborough (Norfolk HER 49004), and recorded on the PAS database at NMS-4B8EF7 (2006T504, Treasure Annual Report 2005/6, p. 99 and 342, no.305). This, however, is solid, and also lacks the scrolls. The Aldborough object, however, is still unidentified and so gives no help in assigning a function to the present object. Also compare NLM-219C93 for a third object with central human head and unidentified function.

Date: The use of Style I dates the object broadly to the 6th century AD.