Bronze Animal-paw Support from Charlbury, Oxfordshire: 12th century AD

Animal paws, and especially lions' paws, had been popular ornamental supports on Roman furnishings, as for example the little bronze lion’s paw from a casket found at Alchester. They remained popular in Mediterranean Europe and the idea was re-imported to England at the time of the Norman kings. The little bronze paw fitting found at Charlbury is less naturalistic, and more elongated, than the Roman example, in keeping with the representations of people and animals in Romanesque art. It may have come from an iron trivet, or some other small special object in another material, and is an unusual and interesting find.

© 1998 Oxfordshire Museum Service, Setúbal Museums and the Benaki Museum