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{{short description|Piece of Anglo Saxon jewellery found in Forsbrook, Staffordshire, England}}
The '''Forsbrook Pendant''' is an item of ] jewellery found in ], Staffordshire, England and sold to the ] in 1879.<ref name="Raven">{{cite book|last=Raven|first=Michael|title=A Guide to Staffordshire and the Black Country, the Potteries and the Peak|year=2005|location=Ashley, Market Drayton|isbn=0906114330|pages=142–143}}</ref><ref name="CVW">{{cite web|url= http://forsbrook.dyndns.org/pendant.php |title= Forsbrook Village, Stafforshire |last=Halliwell |frist= Richard |work= Community Village Website] |accessdate= 29 December 2012}}</ref>
{{coord|52.972091|-2.052029|display=title}}


{{Infobox artwork
== Description ==
| image_file =
| caption =
| image_size = 300px
| title = Forsbrook Pendant
| italic title = no
| alt =
| year = 7th century AD
| type = ]
| material = {{Plainlist|
* ]
* ]s
* ]
}}
| subject =
| diameter_metric = 36
| diameter_imperial =
| metric_unit = mm
| city =
| museum = ]
| coordinates =
| owner = British Museum
| accession = M&LA 1879.7–14.1
}}


The '''Forsbrook Pendant''' is a piece of ] jewellery found in ], ], England and sold to the ] in 1879.<ref name="Raven">{{cite book|last=Raven|first=Michael|title=A Guide to Staffordshire and the Black Country, the Potteries and the Peak|year=2005|location=Ashley, Market Drayton|isbn=0906114330|pages=142–143}}</ref><ref name="CVW">{{cite web |url= http://forsbrook.dyndns.org/pendant.php |title= Forsbrook Village, Stafforshire |last= Halliwell |first= Richard |work= Community Village Website |accessdate= 29 December 2012 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130303203023/http://forsbrook.dyndns.org/pendant.php |archive-date= 3 March 2013 |url-status= dead }}</ref> It is a 7th-century setting of a 4th-century gold ] in gold cellwork with ] and ] inlays.
The {{convert|36|mm|in}} diameter<ref name="BM">{{cite web|url=http://www.britishmuseum.org/system_pages/beta_collection_introduction/beta_collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=88572&partId=1&searchText=Forsbrook|title=coin pendant|publisher=]|accessdate=29 December 2012}}</ref> pendant comprises a 7th-century ring enclosing a gold ] (coin) of ] (375-392 AD).<ref name="CVW" /> The coin, whose obverse is displayed, is surrounded by ]s and ], on a cross-hatched ] background.<ref name="CVW" /> The outer edge of the ring is in the form of a double-headed ].<ref name="BM" />


== Description and context==
The coin was over 200 years old when the pendant was made.<ref name="CVW" />

The ], {{convert|36|mm|in}} in diameter,<ref name="BM">{{cite web|url=http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=88572&partId=1|title=coin pendant|publisher=]|accessdate=29 December 2012}}</ref> comprises a 7th-century setting for a gold ] (coin) of ] (375–392 AD), so that the coin was over 200 years old when the pendant was made.<ref name="CVW" /> The coin, whose ] is displayed, is surrounded by a circular frame containing ] gold with ] and ] inlay, on a cross-hatched ] background,<ref name="CVW" /> with the inlay continuing round the suspension loop, where it terminates with two stylised animal heads meeting under the suspension loop. The side edge of the frame is decorated with three strands of gold wire, each end terminating with a ] heads next to the suspension loop. The back of the pendant is plain, apart from the suspension loop.<ref>Photograph at the British Museum page.</ref>

There are a number of similar Anglo-Saxon pendants setting Roman or Byzantine coins, which appear to have been mostly worn by women.<ref name="BM" /><ref>Webster, 91-92</ref>

The majority of Anglo-Saxon jewellery in the 6th-7th century made intensive use of flat, cut ]s in gold and red garnet cloisonné (or cellwork) but occasionally glass was also cut and inset as gems, as in some of the pieces from ]. The glass colours used were almost entirely limited to blue and green.<ref name="Bimson and Freestone">Bimson, M and Freestone, I. C., "Analysis of some glass from Anglo-Saxon Jewellery", in Price, J. 2000. ''Glass in Britain and Ireland AD 350-1100'', British Museum Occasional paper 127, 137–142.</ref> A number of pieces in the ] also mix blue glass with garnet inlays.<ref>, Staffordshire Hoard website.</ref> The backing of patterned gold foil, which serves to increase the light reflected back through the thin garnet slices, is typical of cellwork jewellery and also found in these two deposits, which are the largest survivals of the type.<ref>Webster, 62-66; , Staffordshire Hoard website; British Museum page</ref>

Chemical analysis of such glass has revealed that they are a soda-lime-] glass but with a lower iron and ] oxide content than the high iron, manganese and ] glass used to make Anglo-Saxon vessels. The similarity between the composition of the glass inlays and Roman coloured glass is remarkable, so much so that it is likely that the Anglo-Saxon craftworkers were re-using Roman opaque glass, possibly Roman glass ]e, rather than ].<ref name="Bimson and Freestone"/>


== Discovery and accession == == Discovery and accession ==


The pendant was found by a labourer who was maintaining a hedge at ] in Staffordshire.<ref name="CVW" /> A 'young lady' took it to Isaac Whitehurst of Swan Bank, Congleton, and he wrote offering it for sale, to the ], who accepted, and whose receipt, dated 28 June 1879, is for £15. The museum's ] is 'M&LA 1879.7-14.1'.<ref name="CVW" /> The pendant was found by a labourer who was maintaining a hedge at Forsbrook in Staffordshire.<ref name="CVW" /> A 'young lady' took it to Isaac Whitehurst of Swan Bank, ], and he wrote offering it for sale, to the ], who accepted, and whose receipt, dated 28 June 1879, is for £15. The museum's ] is {{nowrap|'M&LA 1879.7–14.1'}}.<ref name="CVW" /> ] have a replica, commissioned in 1977, accession number K36.1977.<ref name="CVW" />

Three similar pendants, with a gold coin solidus mounted in a garnet cloisonné setting, are held by the British Museum: a similar 7th-century pendant using an imitation of a gold solidus of the Byzantine emperor ] (582-602) found near ] in 1845 (BM (P&E) 1846.6-20,1),<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=88936&partId=1 |title=British Museum - pseudo-coin pendant / pseudo-coin / imitation |website=www.britishmuseum.org |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161119181935/http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=88936&partId=1 |archive-date=2016-11-19}} </ref> the ] from ] with a coin of the Byzantine emperors ] (613-630),<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=86025&partId=1 |title=British Museum - Wilton Cross |website=www.britishmuseum.org |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161119182025/http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=86025&partId=1 |archive-date=2016-11-19}} </ref> and one with a coin of ] (364-378).<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=88973&partId=1|title = Coin pendant; coin &#124; British Museum}}</ref> ] in 1970 suggested that the image of the emperor displayed on the obverse of the coin could be an object of veneration, and the setting could be a ] imitation of a Roman laurel wreath.<ref>] 1970 '', ''Medieval Archaeology'' 14, 1–16</ref>


== Replica == ==Further reading==
* Halliwell, Richard 1987 `The Forsbrook pendant' Staffordshire Archaeol Stud 4, 1987 12–14.
* , ], '']'', Vol. 8, No. 1 (Jul., 1933), pp.&nbsp;47–48,


==Notes==
] have a replica, commissioned in 1977, accession number K36.1977.<ref name="CVW" />
{{Reflist|2}}


== References == == References ==
* Ozanne, A. 1962–3 The Peak Dwellers', ''Medieval Archaeology'' 6–7, 15–52
{{Reflist}}
* Ozanne, A. 1962-3 The Peak Dwellers', ''Medieval Archaeology'' 6-7, 15-52
* Speake, G. 1970 'A Seventh-century Coin Pendant from Bacton', ''Medieval Archaeology'' 14, 1-16
* Victoria County History, Staffordshire, Vol. I 1908 * Victoria County History, Staffordshire, Vol. I 1908
* ], ''Anglo-Saxon Art'', 2012, British Museum Press, {{ISBN|9780714128092}}


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Latest revision as of 05:37, 28 May 2024

Piece of Anglo Saxon jewellery found in Forsbrook, Staffordshire, England

52°58′20″N 2°03′07″W / 52.972091°N 2.052029°W / 52.972091; -2.052029

Forsbrook Pendant
Year7th century AD
TypePendant
Medium
Dimensions36 mm diameter (1.4 in)
LocationBritish Museum
OwnerBritish Museum
AccessionM&LA 1879.7–14.1

The Forsbrook Pendant is a piece of Anglo Saxon jewellery found in Forsbrook, Staffordshire, England and sold to the British Museum in 1879. It is a 7th-century setting of a 4th-century gold Roman coin in gold cellwork with garnet and blue glass inlays.

Description and context

The pendant, 36 millimetres (1.4 in) in diameter, comprises a 7th-century setting for a gold solidus (coin) of Valentinian II (375–392 AD), so that the coin was over 200 years old when the pendant was made. The coin, whose obverse is displayed, is surrounded by a circular frame containing cloisonné gold with garnet and blue glass inlay, on a cross-hatched gold foil background, with the inlay continuing round the suspension loop, where it terminates with two stylised animal heads meeting under the suspension loop. The side edge of the frame is decorated with three strands of gold wire, each end terminating with a serpent heads next to the suspension loop. The back of the pendant is plain, apart from the suspension loop.

There are a number of similar Anglo-Saxon pendants setting Roman or Byzantine coins, which appear to have been mostly worn by women.

The majority of Anglo-Saxon jewellery in the 6th-7th century made intensive use of flat, cut almandine garnets in gold and red garnet cloisonné (or cellwork) but occasionally glass was also cut and inset as gems, as in some of the pieces from Sutton Hoo. The glass colours used were almost entirely limited to blue and green. A number of pieces in the Staffordshire Hoard also mix blue glass with garnet inlays. The backing of patterned gold foil, which serves to increase the light reflected back through the thin garnet slices, is typical of cellwork jewellery and also found in these two deposits, which are the largest survivals of the type.

Chemical analysis of such glass has revealed that they are a soda-lime-silica glass but with a lower iron and manganese oxide content than the high iron, manganese and titanium glass used to make Anglo-Saxon vessels. The similarity between the composition of the glass inlays and Roman coloured glass is remarkable, so much so that it is likely that the Anglo-Saxon craftworkers were re-using Roman opaque glass, possibly Roman glass tesserae, rather than Anglo-Saxon glass.

Discovery and accession

The pendant was found by a labourer who was maintaining a hedge at Forsbrook in Staffordshire. A 'young lady' took it to Isaac Whitehurst of Swan Bank, Congleton, and he wrote offering it for sale, to the British Museum, who accepted, and whose receipt, dated 28 June 1879, is for £15. The museum's accession number is 'M&LA 1879.7–14.1'. Stoke-on-Trent Museum and Art Gallery have a replica, commissioned in 1977, accession number K36.1977.

Three similar pendants, with a gold coin solidus mounted in a garnet cloisonné setting, are held by the British Museum: a similar 7th-century pendant using an imitation of a gold solidus of the Byzantine emperor Maurice (582-602) found near Bacton, Norfolk in 1845 (BM (P&E) 1846.6-20,1), the Wilton Cross from Wilton, Norfolk with a coin of the Byzantine emperors Heraclius Constantine (613-630), and one with a coin of Valens (364-378). George Speake in 1970 suggested that the image of the emperor displayed on the obverse of the coin could be an object of veneration, and the setting could be a zoomorphic imitation of a Roman laurel wreath.

Further reading

Notes

  1. Raven, Michael (2005). A Guide to Staffordshire and the Black Country, the Potteries and the Peak. Ashley, Market Drayton. pp. 142–143. ISBN 0906114330.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  2. ^ Halliwell, Richard. "Forsbrook Village, Stafforshire". Community Village Website. Archived from the original on 3 March 2013. Retrieved 29 December 2012.
  3. ^ "coin pendant". British Museum. Retrieved 29 December 2012.
  4. Photograph at the British Museum page.
  5. Webster, 91-92
  6. ^ Bimson, M and Freestone, I. C., "Analysis of some glass from Anglo-Saxon Jewellery", in Price, J. 2000. Glass in Britain and Ireland AD 350-1100, British Museum Occasional paper 127, 137–142.
  7. The Glass in the Staffordshire Hoard, Staffordshire Hoard website.
  8. Webster, 62-66; How were the items made?, Staffordshire Hoard website; British Museum page
  9. "British Museum - pseudo-coin pendant / pseudo-coin / imitation". www.britishmuseum.org. Archived from the original on 2016-11-19.
  10. "British Museum - Wilton Cross". www.britishmuseum.org. Archived from the original on 2016-11-19.
  11. "Coin pendant; coin | British Museum".
  12. Speake, G. 1970 'A Seventh-century Coin Pendant from Bacton', Medieval Archaeology 14, 1–16

References

  • Ozanne, A. 1962–3 The Peak Dwellers', Medieval Archaeology 6–7, 15–52
  • Victoria County History, Staffordshire, Vol. I 1908
  • Webster, Leslie, Anglo-Saxon Art, 2012, British Museum Press, ISBN 9780714128092
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