The Scheme's logo
CPAT-076382: Early Medieval Pin

Rights Holder: Clywd-Powys Archaeological Trust
CC License:

View Zoom Download

Image use policy

Our images can be used under a CC BY attribution licence (unless stated otherwise).

PIN

Unique ID: CPAT-076382

Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow status: Awaiting validation Find awaiting validation

This is a copper alloy, Anglo-Saxon dress pin; probably from the 7th or 8th century AD. It is a well executed example with what would appear to be the remnants gold foil on the head of the pin. A zoomorphic head sits on a circular collar and may represent a frog. It has been worked after casting with small punch marks to give some texture to the surface. In his unpublished D Phil thesis of 1991 (Univ Oxford), Seamus Ross attributed this more elaborate ‘eclectic’ pin styling, to the seventh century. The pin is now bent at right angles just below the collar. It is probable that the pin is not complete with some missing section to the lower, or point of the pin. It also has a slightly swollen section to the pin shaft. The head of the pin is 14.5 mm with a width of 3.65 mm. If straightened, the length would be around 61 mm. The surface of the pin section is heavily corroded with a mottled dark and light green patina. The head has been protected over time by the now mostly missing gold foil; it remains in slightly better condition with a mottled green patina and the remnants of gold foil within the moulded depressions. There is now less than 10% gold in the artefact.

Chronology

Broad period: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Period from: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Period to: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Date from: Post AD 600
Date to: Ante AD 750

Dimensions and weight

Quantity: 1
Length: 45.42 mm
Width: 3.65 mm
Thickness: 2.1 mm
Weight: 3.1 g

Discovery dates

Date(s) of discovery: Sunday 20th September 2009

Personal details

This information is restricted for your access level.

Materials and construction

Primary material: Copper alloy
Secondary material: Gold
Manufacture method: Cast
Completeness: Uncertain
Surface Treatment: Gilded

Please accept preferences-cookies to see this map

Spatial metadata

Region: West Midlands (European Region)
County or Unitary authority: Shropshire (Unitary Authority)
District: Shropshire (Unitary Authority)
Parish or ward: Knockin (Civil Parish)

Spatial coordinates

4 Figure: SJ3521
Four figure Latitude: 52.782647
Four figure longitude: -2.965145
1:25K map: SJ3521
1:10K map: SJ32SE
Grid reference source: From finder
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 10 metre square.

Discovery metadata

Method of discovery: Metal detector
Discovery circumstances: Found at depth of 2 - 3 inches.
General landuse: Cultivated land
Specific landuse: Character undetermined

References cited

No references cited so far.

Similar objects

Find number: NARC-9D2D17
Object type: PIN
Broadperiod: EARLY MEDIEVAL
An incomplete copper alloy Pin of Early-Medieval date (AD 600-800). Ascribed culture: Anglo-Saxon. The object is composed of a zoomorphic head…
Workflow: Awaiting validationFind awaiting validation

Find number: ESS-A67986
Object type: PIN
Broadperiod: EARLY MEDIEVAL
An incomplete cast silver pin with polyhedral head. The head is essentially a cuboid with the corners cut off, giving it 13 facets. The shaft…
Workflow: PublishedFind published

Find number: NMS-7E30E0
Object type: PIN
Broadperiod: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Description: Incomplete cast gilded silver pin, comprising the shield-shaped head with a small part of the shaft. The head is flat-sectioned …
Workflow: PublishedFind published

Timeline of associated dates

Audit data

Recording Institution: CPAT
Created: 14 years ago
Updated: 13 years ago

Other formats: this page is available as qrcode json xml geojson pdf rdf representations.