PAS Finds (w/e 14/7/23) – Bull

July 21, 2023July 28, 2023 Paul

My selection of the detecting finds recorded at the PAS in the week ended 14 July 2023

Featured Find

Iron Age bulls head bucket mount

Photo: The Portable Antiquities Scheme CC By SA2.0

Object type: Mount

Period: Iron Age

Primary material: Copper alloy

Date found: 08/07/2023

Location: Craven, North Yorkshire

A copper alloy bucket mount, in the form of a bull’s head. It is thought to date to c. 100 BC to 100 AD. Although there are similar objects on the PAS database, this is considered a Find of Note of Regional Importance because of its completeness.

The bull’s head is a popular motif across many cultures from prehistoric times. Aurochs, which are considered to be the wild ancestor of modern cattle, are found in may Paleolithic European cave paintings. Bulls were associated with gods in many ancient religions and were also known to used as a sacrificial animals.

Researchers at the University of Edinburgh in 2017 suggested that some of the early depiction of bull’s heads, from about 4000 – 6000 BC, were in fact some sort of ancient bling used to indicate social status.

Selection of other finds

Photo: Surrey County Council CC By SA2.0

Penning of Floris V

The Hollandse Penning was worth 2/5th of the larger sterling imitations issued at the same time by Floris V. This example appears to be the only one of this variant on the PAS and is a Find of Note of County Importance.

Photo: The Portable Antiquities Scheme CC By SA2.0

Irish enamelled buckle and plate

The buckle is decorated with a pair of beasts with lentoid shaped eyes. This decoration stylistically parallels similar open-jawed beasts depicted on Irish metalwork of the 7th – 8th century. It is a Find of Note of Regional Importance.