Silver buckle tongue in the form of an eagle
Late Roman, c. 4th century AD
Length: 5.3 cm
The flattened bird is depicted as if flying with its head stretched forwards and wings folded across its back. The beak is detailed and the eyes are socketed, perhaps for inlays. Hatched bands define the wing feathers while the back feathers are shown as overlapping scales; hatched bands continue along the upper edge of the loop.
This sort of stylised bird is often referred to as an eagle, although the straight beak is closer to those of the Corvus genus (the crow family) it is safe to assume it to be a raven and the symbol of the pagan god Odin. It is a careful study, with the additional holes behind the eyes presumably intended to represent ears, although these can not normally be seen on birds.
It is possible that it was the tongue of a buckle, attached by means of the integral loop at the back. There are no published parallels for such a tongue but buckles with loops in the form of flying birds seen from above were in use from the 5th century.
Literature: Published: Rupert Wace Ancient Art, 2012, no. 53.
For comparable buckle tongues see 'Germanen, Hunnen und Awaren, Schätze der Völkerwanderungszeit' (W. Menghin, ed.) Germanisches National Museum, Nürnberg, 105, no. 1, 10.c and M. Schulze-Dörrlamm, Byzantinische Gürtelschnallen und Gürtelbeschläge im Römisch-Germanischen Zentralmuseum, Teil. I, die Schanllen ohne Beschläge, mit Laschenbeschläge und mit festem Beschlag des 5. bis 7. Jahrhunderts, Kataloge Vor- und Frühgeschichtlicher Altertümer 30/1, Mainz, 2009, p.22.
Provenance: UK collection, purchased in 1991
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Late Roman, c. 4th century AD
Length: 5.3 cm
The flattened bird is depicted as if flying with its head stretched forwards and wings folded across its back. The beak is detailed and the eyes are socketed, perhaps for inlays. Hatched bands define the wing feathers while the back feathers are shown as overlapping scales; hatched bands continue along the upper edge of the loop.
This sort of stylised bird is often referred to as an eagle, although the straight beak is closer to those of the Corvus genus (the crow family) it is safe to assume it to be a raven and the symbol of the pagan god Odin. It is a careful study, with the additional holes behind the eyes presumably intended to represent ears, although these can not normally be seen on birds.
It is possible that it was the tongue of a buckle, attached by means of the integral loop at the back. There are no published parallels for such a tongue but buckles with loops in the form of flying birds seen from above were in use from the 5th century.
Literature: Published: Rupert Wace Ancient Art, 2012, no. 53.
For comparable buckle tongues see 'Germanen, Hunnen und Awaren, Schätze der Völkerwanderungszeit' (W. Menghin, ed.) Germanisches National Museum, Nürnberg, 105, no. 1, 10.c and M. Schulze-Dörrlamm, Byzantinische Gürtelschnallen und Gürtelbeschläge im Römisch-Germanischen Zentralmuseum, Teil. I, die Schanllen ohne Beschläge, mit Laschenbeschläge und mit festem Beschlag des 5. bis 7. Jahrhunderts, Kataloge Vor- und Frühgeschichtlicher Altertümer 30/1, Mainz, 2009, p.22.
Provenance: UK collection, purchased in 1991
Enquire
Late Roman, c. 4th century AD
Length: 5.3 cm
The flattened bird is depicted as if flying with its head stretched forwards and wings folded across its back. The beak is detailed and the eyes are socketed, perhaps for inlays. Hatched bands define the wing feathers while the back feathers are shown as overlapping scales; hatched bands continue along the upper edge of the loop.
This sort of stylised bird is often referred to as an eagle, although the straight beak is closer to those of the Corvus genus (the crow family) it is safe to assume it to be a raven and the symbol of the pagan god Odin. It is a careful study, with the additional holes behind the eyes presumably intended to represent ears, although these can not normally be seen on birds.
It is possible that it was the tongue of a buckle, attached by means of the integral loop at the back. There are no published parallels for such a tongue but buckles with loops in the form of flying birds seen from above were in use from the 5th century.
Literature: Published: Rupert Wace Ancient Art, 2012, no. 53.
For comparable buckle tongues see 'Germanen, Hunnen und Awaren, Schätze der Völkerwanderungszeit' (W. Menghin, ed.) Germanisches National Museum, Nürnberg, 105, no. 1, 10.c and M. Schulze-Dörrlamm, Byzantinische Gürtelschnallen und Gürtelbeschläge im Römisch-Germanischen Zentralmuseum, Teil. I, die Schanllen ohne Beschläge, mit Laschenbeschläge und mit festem Beschlag des 5. bis 7. Jahrhunderts, Kataloge Vor- und Frühgeschichtlicher Altertümer 30/1, Mainz, 2009, p.22.
Provenance: UK collection, purchased in 1991