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Iron Age copper alloy bridle bit
Three-link bridle-bit incorporating two copper alloy tubular rein-rings, two cast copper alloy side-links, and a cast copper alloy centre-link. The rein rings are the same size (external diameter 89-94mm, internal diameter 68.5-72mm), penannular, slightly distorted, oval in shape but approximately circular in cross-section (diameter 10.5-11mm) and butt-jointed on the inside. A spherical stop-stud survives on one of the rings, it is fixed by a copper alloy rivet which passes from the top of the stud through the ring and is hammered flush with the lower surface of the rein-ring and is set adjacent to a set of diametrically opposed rivet holes. There are sets of diametrically opposed rivet holes situated at the other ends of the penannular rein-rings presumably to accommodate the missing stop-studs. The segmented, side links whilst being similar differ slightly in form. One contains a separately cast decorative boss (diameter 21mm) mounted on a knob set on the terminal bulb socket and fixed by a square headed rivet through its centre. The bevelled edge of this setting is decorated with 27 incised, conjoined U-shaped arches further emphasised by punch dot decoration at their tips. The maximum width of these motifs varies between 2.5 and 4.5mm. Although both side-links have the same design components (i.e. side-link head, link-shaft, and terminal bulb socket) the relative proportions of these vary (table 1), as first noted by Spratling (1972, 448), however this does not cause a significant variation in the overall lengths of the pieces when the non-functional decorative elements are excluded (contra Palk 1984, 8).
Decorated side-link Undecorated side-link
side-link head 22mm 23mm link-shaft 17mm 14mm terminal bulb socket 28mm 29mm sub-total 67mm 66mm decorative element 13mm N/A TOTAL 80mm 66mm
Table 1 : Lengths of the design components of the side-links (No.11).
The segmented centre-link contains a prominent central-roll which echoes the design of the terminal bulb sockets on the side-links. There are small wear facets on the link side of the stop-stud, on the inside of the ends of the rein-rings, and the perforations of both the side-link heads and the centre-link.
Bronze bridle-bit with a decorative boss, 200 BCE-100 CE. Once held in the mouth of a chariot pony, with the reins connecting to the rings.
WA_SC 11.1
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Site Name: Llyn Cerrig Bach, Cae Ifan Farm
Notes: Found during the construction of an airfield at RAF Station Valley. Some certainly, the rest probably, from a wet meadow which formed the margin of Llyn Cerrig Bach. The exact depth below the grassy surface at which the objects were deposited is not known. The bog was excavated to a maximum depth of 20 feet. A few objects were found on the spot, after the peaty deposit had been won from the boggy margin of the lake. The rest, with the exception of 44.32/58, were found on that portion of the adjacent aerodrome on which the peat from this site had been spread. Animal bones were associated with the deposit and many metal objects were stained with vivianite.
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