English: Cast copper alloy pendant of probable Early Mediaeval / Anglo-Scandinavian date (8th - 11th century 700-1050 AD). The pendant has been formed from a larger decorative panel / plaque which may have originally have been used as a die for creating gold foil mounts. This panel / die has subsequently been cut down, further decorated, and pierced to form a pendant. The pendant is complete; however, it has lost some of its edges through abrasion in the plough soil. It is sub-triangular in plan and sub-rectangular in cross section. The pendant measures 46.3mm length, 27.6mm width is 4.3mm thick, and weighs 22.89 grams.

The design on the front face of the pendant is likely to be that of a bird or bird's head. This design is complete however, the lower right hand edge and corner has been lost through abrasion. The design has been achieved through a series of deeply incised curvi-linear lines. There are two main zones of decoration, the body and the head.

The design of the body is relatively crude and the incised lines have a clear relatively shallow V shaped profile which changes along their length. The lines also waver along their length as if they have been applied with short jerky movements rather than a smooth single stroke. The design of the body is based around an inverted irregular V. This V is intersected at two points (one on either edge) by horizontal lines connecting the outside edge of the V to the outer edge of the pendant. Both these horizontal lines have similar profiles and seem to have been cut at the same time as the V. On the left hand side of the pendant in the lower area, created by the intersection of the V and horizontal line, a further, diagonal line is present. This has been formed from several shallow incised lines and may not have been intended as part of the original design.

The second area of decoration is that of the head. This is located around the pierced hole. The hole itself is positioned on the outer edge of the pendant. It is positioned in such a way that it does not greatly affect the design on the opposite face. The hole is irregular in shape, being broadly an irregular oval (broadly kidney shaped). It is likely that reason why the hole is this shape is due to wear and abrasion caused by suspension. The design of the head is again based around incised curvi-linear lines with V shaped profiles. The beak is shown by a single incised line which divides into two parts at one end. At the point above this division is a single circular incised dot, which presumably represents an eye. This part of the design is above the perforation and the incised line loops around to join the cut hole. Beneath the perforation is a small incised loop. Much of the metal at this point has been lost, and this loop may represent something carried in the bird's beak.

The design on the reverse of the pendant is very different from that on the front face. Overall, the design on this face consists of a figure leading a horse with a bridle but no saddle. It is applied with much more skill and may originally have been cast and then augmented by incised (chip?) carving. Some of the original design has been lost, presumably by trimming or cutting down a larger plaque to create the pendant. Evidence for this is clearly visible and includes the presence of a pierced hole, which although positioned to create minimal damage to the scene, still punches through the neck of the horse. Other evidence includes fragments of other figures or events depicted in the scene which have been eliminated or severed through the trimming.

The central design is showed in relief, in that the design is achieved by removing material from the background of the plaque to outline the figures. This has been achieved by carving around the design quite deeply and creating a relatively deep U shaped groove. Once this outline has been defined the background seems to have been removed using a sharp chisel or similar tool. This has left a series of irregular straight and curvi-linear lines and grooves, which are not patterned according to any design.

The central design consists of a walking figure (advancing from left to right) with its arm over the saddle / back of a horse. The figure (probably a man) is holding a pair of reins attached to a bridle which is around the muzzle of the horse. The figure has lost the upper part of its head due to the trimming of the pendant. The head and jaw of the figure are clearly elongated (lantern jawed) and the eye is depicted by an incised annulet. Although not clearly depicted it seems likely that the figure is wearing a hood with a long tassel which is looped in a loose figure of eight knot. It is possible that the hood may in fact be stylised hair. The majority of the body of the man is behind the horse and so not shown. However, depicted beneath the belly of the horse is the lower part of the figures (long) tunic with a pair of legs. There is no decorative detail on either the tunic or legs, and only the top part of the rear foot is shown, the rest has been lost. The hand is stylised. The reins are depicted as two twisting curvi-linear ribs, one of which loops beneath the muzzle of the horse. Much of the detail of the head of the horse has been lost through a combination of the pierced (and worn) suspension hole and subsequent trimming of the pendant. The eye of the horse is shown by an incised annulet; however the ears and muzzle are poorly defined. The body of the horse is relatively long and sinuous. The front legs are shown walking with the right leg before the left. The lower right part of the front leg and the hoof of the left leg have been lost. Both the rear legs are shown again the right before the left. The right leg is irregularly shaped whilst the left is rather stocky. The tail is short (possibly docked?). The depiction of the horse is not detailed enough to tell whether it is a mare or stallion.

There are a number of partial elements which have been lost through trimming. These consist of a small triangular wedge (possible the end of a tassel from the back of a hood from another figure) which is positioned before the face of the standing figure. There is also something beneath the muzzle of the horse, not enough survives to be certain of what it may be.

The pendant is a mid-green colour with a well developed 'polished' patina which covers all surfaces. In places abrasion has removed this patina; this is most obvious on the front face of the pendant (bird side) where there are a series of linear lines and abraded marks. These scratches are also evident on the reverse but seem to be much lighter and less distinct. Where the surface patina has been removed a light grey green coloured corrosion product is present, this is relatively inactive at present but needs to be kept under observation. Some of the edges of the pendant have also been damaged by plough rolling and this has removed the polished surface. The edges of the pendant generally have a good patina present. This suggests that all the trimming occurred prior to deposition. This is confirmed by the presence of a good patina on the edge closest to the face which has been clearly trimmed.

Barry Ager (Curator of the Anglo-Saxon / Viking Collections at the British Museum) has suggested that the best parallels are probably those illustrated in "Viking Clothing" by T. Ewing (2006, Tempus), especially the troll wife riding a wolf on a carving of c. 1000 from Hunnestad, Sweden, in fig. 20, who also has a hood ending in an interlaced 'tail'. Women's hair is sometimes shown similarly knotted, too, e.g. a woman on a picture stone from Alskog, Gotland (fig. 30) and some men's hats are shown with long tails, though without knots (fig. 60). These features I think confirm that the figure on the pendant (a man in view of his short shirt or tunic) dates to the Viking period, although it's difficult to say anything more precise than 9th-11th century. It is also hard to say if it is meant to be Odin with his horse Sleipnir, who had eight legs rather than the four shown, but it seems quite likely that it illustrates some scene from Norse myths or legends. The bird head on the other side has some general similarities to birds in Viking art.

Kevin Leahy (Early Medieval Finds Advisor for the PAS) suggests a slightly earlier 8th century date. He suggests that due to its thickness it could be an example of a (pressblech) die for making foil mounts (appliqués) (see Leahy 2003 Anglo Saxon Crafts p157). He also suggests that the best parallels for both the man and animal are on the Franks' Casket (in the British Museum).

In conclusion it seems that this pendant was formed from a die / plaque for making pressblech foil appliqués. It is likely that originally the die would have been much larger, possibly sub-rectangular or sub-triangular, with at least another figure present on it. Although no evidence for why the die stopped being used can be found, it may have become broken or the style was no longer required. At this point or at some point thereafter it was made into a pendant. The stylised bird design was applied to the reverse, and as it is relatively crude and of different style of decoration to that on the front face, it is likely to come from either a different workshop or less skilled craftsman. The presence of the suspension loop (and the damage through wear) suggests the pendant was worn upright in the same plane as the bird design. This may imply that although the image on the die was important and curated (carefully preserved by trimming around the design) it was not for public display. This theory may be reinforced if the image on the die is of one of the God's or a hero from one of the sagas. It is also suggested that the symbolic importance of the die may also be significant, in that it would probably have been used to make prestige or highly prized goods linked to wealthy families within society. It is likely that as a pendant it may have fulfilled the role of a good luck charm or lucky touch-piece.

Thanks are extended to Barry Ager (British Museum), Kevin Leahy, Helen Geake (PAS), Lisa Chapman (illustrator) and the conservator Jane Thompson-Webb (Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery), for their comments, parallels, help and advice regarding this important find.