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Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales
The silver pommel cap is of flattened 'cocked hat' form. The two main faces have different designs. One side (face A) has a raised central panel of three cloisonné garnets, surrounded by a sunken panel decorated with granules (diameters about 0.7mm), each surrounded by silver filigree collars, between silver filigree borders. Where the cloisonné cells conjoin, they have step-pattern edges. The other side (face B) has a small central panel decorated with three large silver granules (diameters 0.9-1.2mm) edged by silver filigree collars, and framed by concentric filigree wires, some terminating at one of three larger filigree collars (one at least having a central granule or inlay, the others now empty). The shoulders have similarly decorated, recessed panels, each containing six collared granules. At each end of the pommel are two rivet heads, each having deep filigree collars. There are no visible traves of the iron sword tang within the pommel, which is filled with soil. Separation of pommel from the iron sword blade may therefore have occured in antiquity.
Anglo-Saxon sword pommel cap made of silver inlaid with garnet, 600-650 CE. It was found near Gresford in north-east Wales. This was an area of regular dispute between the kingdoms of Powys and Anglo-Saxon Mercia.
WA_SC 14.2
Site Name: Gresford, Wrexham
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