File:Early-Medieval Cheekpiece (FindID 248677).jpg

English: A fragment from a late Early-Medieval/Anglo-Scandinavian bridle cheekpiece. The fragment is irregular in form, perhaps resembling a creature of some kind, sub-rectangular in section, with moulded outer edges and incised decoration on the front face. At the top of the fragment can be seen the remains of the central circular perforation. To each side of the perforation the plate has moulded edges, the right hand side terminating in old breaks and the left hand side with a bilobate upper edge that also terminates in old breaks. To the left of the central perforation the plate extends horizontally and the start of a second larger perforation or loop is visible, but the plate quickly terminates making a complete identification of the shape impossible. At the base of the surviving fragment the plate has two projecting semi-circular knops. The front face is decorated with incised geometric motifs. These comprise an incised border that all of the outer and inner edges and contains more elaborate motifs. Beneath and to the left of the central perforation these consist simply of diagonal lines creating lozenge and rectangular shaped panels. However, where the plate extends to the left an incised spiral is also visible. The back face of the fragment is flat and undecorated, and the entire object has a dark green patina. It measures 37.29mm in width, 24.19mm in height, 4.35mm in thickness, and weighs 13.38g. This cheekpiece fragment is of Early Medieval date and demonstrates decoration and form that is of Anglo-Scandinavian influence. The decoration on the frotn face probably depicts an animal or beast of some kind, however not enough of the cheekpiece survives intact to allow for an accurate reconstruction or identification fo what this may have been. The current example finds its closest parallel with Williams' Type 1 cheekpieces, suggesting a date in the 11th century AD.