‘The finds tell us about the care and attention to personal appearance in Late Iron Age Britain the polished bronze mirror is a rare and exciting find, and the decorated tweezers are unique.’ ‘This assemblage likely represents the grave goods from the cremation burial of an important individual,’ said the museum’s European Iron Age curator Julia Farley. Norwich Castle Museum is reportedly hoping to acquire the seal matrix.įrom Kensworth, Bedfordshire, meanwhile, came an assortment of Iron Age objects dated to between 80 BC and 100 ADįrom Kensworth, Bedfordshire, meanwhile, came an assortment of Iron Age objects dated to between 80 BC and 100 AD - including a pair of tweezers, a decorated bronze mirror, a pin and fragments from both bronze and ceramic vessels.
The image may have been based on reports of these fabulous and exotic creatures from travellers or pilgrims returning from the East or from the Crusades,’ Ms Lenk continued.Īn anonymous inscription on the item reads ‘PARMAT EST ‧ WEVEI ‧ DRA OBEST’, which experts believe translated to ‘armed with a shield, the outlaw dragon is harmful’ - referring to the myth that dragons are the elephant’s only foe. ‘Few people in medieval England would have seen a live elephant. Incidentally, it is from this root that the name of the ‘Elephant and Castle’ area of south London is derived - via a coaching inn in the area that first bore the title. ‘It is represented with a war-tower, or howdah, on its back, which subsequently became known as the « elephant and castle » of heraldic iconography.’ ‘The motif engraved on the gemstone is a rare portrayal of an elephant from the medieval period, which is found mainly on objects signifying wealth and status, such as carved ivory gaming pieces and heraldic badges,’ she added. ‘This gold counter-seal, or private seal, would have been used to seal letters or documents and demonstrated the wealth, status and education of its owner,’ said Ms Nenk. Should they succeed in their goal of acquiring it, ‘snail man’ will shortly join the collections of the Wakefield Museum.Īmong the recent finds announced by the British Museum was a medieval gold seal matrix with a Roman stone intaglio found in East Walton, Norfolk, last yearĪlso found last year was a medieval gold seal matrix with a Roman stone intaglio from East Walton, Norfolk, which experts have dated back to around 1250–1350 AD. As such, it demonstrates the humour often found in medieval material culture.’ ‘The mount may be a satirical reference to cowardly or non-chivalric behaviour of opponents in battle, or as a parody of the upper or knightly classes. ‘Snails are often depicted in the margins of medieval illuminated decorated manuscripts and are thought to symbolise cowardice, and this may be the intended meaning,’ she explained. ‘The image of the praying knight emerging from a snail shell atop a goat implies an element of parody or satire.’ ‘This unusual silver-gilt mount may once have been attached to a leather belt or strap, or perhaps worn as a badge,’ said the British Museum’s Later Medieval Collections curator, Beverley Nenk. The man is shown wearing a Norman-style helmet with a long-sleeve tunic and his hands are pressed together as if in prayer, hinting at religious connotations. Thought to have been made sometime between 1200–1350 AD, the mount bizarrely and uniquely depicts a male figure emerging from a snail shell which, in turn, rests on the back of a goat. Among the recent finds announced by the British Museum was a ‘snail man’ mount uncovered from Pontefract in West YorkshireĪmong the recent finds announced by the British Museum was a rare and quirky silver gilt ‘snail man’ mount uncovered from Pontefract in West Yorkshire last year - an object which experts have said may have been the medieval equivalent of a modern-day meme.