Silvered Bronze Strap-End from St Aldates, Oxford: 14th century

This beautiful personal ornament was found on a 14th-century floor-level when excavating a Medieval house by St Aldates. The leather belt or girdle was one of the main areas of Medieval costume available for decoration, and this elaborate piece was designed as a terminal for the loose end of the belt, which was left long and flowing. The end of the strap was enclosed by the rectangular box at the top, of which the plate is decorated with a design like a stylised horse’s head, and secured by the two rivets. Below this is a large, lyre-shaped terminal. The silver surface was achieved by mixing mostly tin with 30% silver to form a Medieval version of silver plate. Such an object is likely to have belonged to someone of the merchant class.