A Pendant From The Anglo-saxon Pagan Period 5th To 7th Century Ad

This is a rare gilt bronze pendant, former collection of the famous collector and publisher of brooches on the subject Richard Hattatt. The description reads: “Cast plate, bell shaped with a hanging hole at the top. A convex molding extends from top to bottom. The edge is stamped with 'rings'. The Hattatt display from the 70s with the description is still there! (see other photos). It's hard to say whether the design represents anything or not. Sometimes a pin is just a pin. But some see a Lyre or a warrior's helmet in the design. Pendants are fairly rare finds from early Anglo-Saxon contexts and, in eastern England, tend to be more delicate, with hanging loops perpendicular to the surface of the pendant. These, increasingly in gold filigree with garnet inlays, became a more prominent feature of high-ranking women's clothing from the late 6th century until the 7th (as did brooches and pearl necklaces are going out of fashion). Thicker cast pendants like this are much rarer. In Avon cemeteries, a handful of pendants of equally varied design have been found (source: Ed Thompson's reaction to seeing this brooch). Found in 1973 in Silchester, Hampshire Dimensions: 3.7x3.2 cm. For a comparable example, see: a Summary catalog of Anglo-Saxon Collections-Ashmolean Museum Oxford 1993, no. 25.8.