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The artefact has a widened mid-section, 30-35mm long and 13mm wide and is waisted on each side, before flaring to form two slightly knobbed and rounded terminals. It is of slender and spindle-shaped form and has a transverse sub-rectangular shaped slot through the widened mid-section. On the upper face of the widened mid-section, extending in a motif 28.8mm long and 10.0mm wide, is a decorative inset motif in the La Tène Stage V art style (pre-Roman ‘Celtic’) and inlayed with red-enamel. The tripartite motif comprises a central concave sided diamond linked by two lateral peltas. Circular shaped insets of red enamel are also located on each terminal and are 4.3-4.4mm and 5.2-5.6mm in diameter. The surface of the toggle is covered with erosion scars, whilst the toggle has a dark green patinated surface. Non-destructive surface analysis of the toggle indicates that it is made of bronze.

Bronze harness toggle, 40-80 CE. Decorated with red glass in the Celtic La Tène style.

There was a powerful connection between warriors and their horses. Elite warriors used their chariots to display their high status. They used exquisite bronze work decorated with red glass in their horse harnesses and chariot fittings. Objects such as this give us a glimpse of the people who waged war with an invading Roman army, 1,950 years ago.

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