Medieval Gilt Bronze Buckle Plate with Beast Facing Back

Square in plan, belt plate with hinge knuckle to the foredge, low-relief opposed cranes flanking a stem; rear plate attached with rivets. 5.89 grams, 25 mm



Found near Lewes, East Sussex, UK.

Circular, slightly domed mount with a narrow inner quatrefoil border, outside the angles of the quatrefoil, the spandrels containing a raised dot, with linear marks resembling keying, and one spandrel (lower left) appears to have traces of gilding over these; the quatrefoil filled with a seated human figure, nimbate and with a full skirt and tight bodice, the bodice appears to be gilded and it may be that the object was 'parcel' (partly) gilded to emphasise the clothing, also wearing a cloak covering the shoulders; the right hand holding a cup, raised to the mouth; the left hand reaching out towards a perching bird surrounded by a circle (perhaps also a nimbus, showing that it is a holy bird); the bird with its wings held out above its body and its head and beak held upwards; the background filled with motifs, across the centre two rows of half-ovals, each with a pair of V-shaped indentations in the top resembling tulip flowers, a triangular pillar to each side of the legs, each decorated with a pair of oblique grooves, an enigmatic strip decorated with oblique ribbing, running upwards from the lower part of the left-hand foil to the open top of the cup, the lower end appearing to have a face in profile with eye and open jaw, possibly representing a snake or serpent. 2.76 grams, 19 mm



Found whilst searching with a metal detector on 25th September 2014 near Mersham, Kent, UK; declared as Treasure under the Treasure Act with reference number 2017T553, disclaimed by the Crown and returned to the finder. Property of a Kent gentleman, a specialist medieval collector. Accompanied by a copy of the British Museum's Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) report no.PUBLIC-FF66A3. Accompanied by a copy of the report on the find of potential Treasure for H M Coroner. Accompanied by a copy of the letter from the British Museum stating that the Crown's interest in this find has been disclaimed.

The PAS report states: 'This scene might perhaps be interpreted as showing St John the Evangelist (author of the Gospel of St John) with his symbol of an eagle and a chalice with a serpent. The later refers to a poisoned chalice, either the cup mentioned by Jesus to James and John in Matthew ch. 20 v. 23, or the chalice mentioned in the Golden Legend (written c.1260 and extremely popular for the rest of the medieval period) in Ch.9 of which John is said to have survived drinking a cup of poison in an attempt to convert a pagan. Although the figure looks female, John was often depicted with delicate features and beardless. The high quality of the ornament suggests a late medieval date. It may be related to plaques from late medieval reliquary box pendants.'

Engraved around the exterior of the hoop with the names Melchior, Balthasar and Caspar, the bezel with a separate piece of silver fashioned to imitate the pyramidal form of a natural octahedral diamond and secured in a rub-over collet as though it were a gemstone. 2.79 grams, 28.23 mm overall, 20.95 mm internal diameter (approximate size British V 1/2, USA 10 3/4, Europe 24.4, Japan 23)



Acquired on the European art market. UK, private collection.

The names of the Three Magi formed part of the medieval repertoire of protective inscriptions used on amuletic jewellery.