Norfolk Archaeology XLVI (2011), 214–17

A 9TH-CENTURY TREFOIL FITTING FROM WYMONDHAM

by Jane Kershaw

The purpose of this short note is to draw attention to a 9th-century copper-alloy trefoil-shaped fitting,
discovered in Wymondham by Mark Turner in 2004. It is argued that the fitting provides new insights into
the evolution of the trefoil brooch from Carolingian baldric mounts. It is further suggested that the fitting
has origins in southern Scandinavia and thus contributes to the increasing archaeological evidence for close
contacts between this region and Norfolk during the Viking Age.

DESCRIPTION lugs positioned centrally on each lobe are also atypical

The fitting is currently logged on the Norfolk Historic
Environment Record (HER 40446) as well as on the
Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) database (PAS NMS-
10A1E1) and has been studied firsthand by the author.
It is trefoil shaped and consists of three unevenly sized
lobes and a central triangular panel (Plate 1; Fig. 1). The
surface is worn and damaged by corrosion. The central
panel is framed by an incised triangular border with
a raised boss at each corner and carries three stamped
rings, although only the central dots are clearly visible.
The trefoil lobes are set within a prominent, double-
contoured border consisting of a sunken inner rim
and raised outer edge. Each is faintly decorated with a
stamped ring placed near the central panel. The reverse
of the object is flat. Each lobe bears the scars of a
centrally positioned rectangular fitting, now completely
lost. The exact form of the fittings cannot be deter-
mined, but would appear on the basis of the scars to
have comprised single lugs, aligned with the rim of the
trefoil lobes.
of trefoil brooches: these usually carry a double pin-
lug, in addition to a catchplate and attachment loop,
or, in the case of some examples from England, a single
pin-lug positioned at a right-angle to the brooch edge
(rather than in-line with it, as on the Wymondham
piece) (Kershaw 2010, 137, 214–18). Admittedly, single
lugs positioned in line with the brooch rim are also
unusual on baldric mounts, a more common arrange-
ment comprising pairs of perforated lugs on the reverse
of each lobe (Graham-Campbell 1980, cat. no. 327).
However, baldric mount fittings are somewhat variable
and single lugs do appear on a mount found in Häljarp,
Sweden (Capelle 1972, Abb. 1,2). Finally, at 19.28g the
Wymondham mount is considerably heavier than most
copper-alloy trefoil brooches of equivalent size, but is
comparable with baldric mounts (Maixner 2005, Kat.
A. nrs 190–265; see, for instance, PAS SF-93D943). In
sum, the flat form, fitting arrangements and weight of
the Wymondham object suggest that it functioned not
as a brooch, but as a mount or strap-distributor for a
three-way belt or harness.

FUNCTION DISCUSSION

The Wymondham object is identified on the Norfolk
HER as a brooch or possible harness fitting of 9th-
century date. Both brooches and belt/harness mounts
comprised trefoil shapes during this period: trefoil-
shaped baldric mounts were worn in Carolingian
military kit and served as the inspiration for trefoil
brooches produced in Viking-Age Scandinavia (Graham-
Campbell 1980, cat. nos 327–8). However, a number of
features suggest that the Wymondham piece functioned
as a mount, rather than a brooch. Its flat form is at
variance with the characteristically raised centres of
most trefoil brooches (Paterson 1997, 654). The single
Strap-distributors for belts and baldrics are uncom-
mon in Anglo-Saxon contexts (Paterson 1997, 653).
However, trefoil-shaped baldric mounts were worn
as part of Carolingian military kit, as illustrated in
scenes from Carolingian manuscripts (Mütherich and
Gaehde 1977, pls 22, 25 and 44). Extant examples have
been recovered from within the Carolingian realm, as
well as from Viking-Age hoards and graves in southern
Scandinavia; in these contexts, the mounts are likely to
represent items of loot captured during Viking raids and
imported from the Carolingian Empire from the early
9th century (Graham-Campbell 1980, cat. nos 327–8).

214
 TREFOIL-SHAPED MOUNT FROM WYMONDHAM 215

Fig. 1 Trefoil-shaped mount from Wymondham (HER 40446). Scale 1:1.

© Norfolk County Council, drawn by J. Gibbons

Plate 1 Trefoil-shaped mount from Wymondham (HER 40446). Scale 1:1.

Max. width from lobe to lobe: 45mm, max. lobe width: 17mm.
Jane Kershaw

In England, two gilt copper-alloy mounts identified as
Carolingian baldric mounts have recently been discov-
ered near Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk (PAS SF-94DBC2
and SF-93D943). Both items date to the 9th century
and may represent Viking loot carried to England,
rather than direct imports from the Carolingian Empire
(Portable Antiquities Scheme Annual Report 2005/6).
In common with other Carolingian trefoil mounts,
these two recent discoveries are decorated with florid
acanthus motifs characteristic of Carolingian art.
However, a small number of plain trefoil mounts and
mounts with geometric decoration are also documented
and may represent simpler, cheaper alternatives to more
elaborately decorated examples (Maixner 2005, 25–6,
Taf. 55,2–7). Of particular interest in relation to the
Wymondham object is a trefoil mount from Hedeby,
Schleswig-Holstein, with a central triangular panel
framed by a prominent border and 22 circular bosses
contained in each arm (Plate 2). Four integrally cast
studs, one at the end of each trefoil arm and one in the
centre, are carried on the back of the trefoil, enabling
its attachment to a three-way belt. For this reason,
and despite its lack of acanthus ornament, the Hedeby
mount is considered to be a Carolingian import (Capelle
1970, 10). A strap-end with comparable decoration
was found in grave 618 at Birka, Sweden, suggesting
that the trefoil mount from Hedeby could have formed
part of a set of baldric fittings (Capelle 1970, Abb. 1).
The Wymondham object has a number of features
in common with the Hedeby mount, including its over-
all shape and dimensions, the central triangular framed
panel and double-contoured border. These similari-
ties may point to a similar, Carolingian origin for the
Norfolk find. It is possible that its surface ornament is
also Carolingian in origin, for stamped rings appear on
some Carolingian brooches and strap-ends. However,
such flourishes are much more typical of Viking-Age
Scandinavian metalwork. Significantly, they appear
on the lobes and central panels of small Scandinavian
trefoil brooches dated to the late 9th and early 10th
216 NORFOLK ARCHAEOLOGY

Plate 2 Trefoil-shaped baldric mount from Hedeby, Schleswig-Holstein.

Maximum width from lobe to lobe: 51mm, maximum lobe width:
19mm.
After Maixner 2005, Taf. 55, 4; reproduced with permission

centuries, some of which also carry stylised acanthus
ornament in various stages of development (Maixner’s
Type G 1.3: Maixner 2005, Taf. 7, G 1.3, Taf. 35,6–7,
10–12, 18, 25, 27). The use of three stamped rings
in the central panel, as on the Wymondham mount,
is a recurring feature of trefoil brooches of this type
and may symbolise a triquetra, which features on
the central panels of other trefoil brooches of the
same type (Maixner 2005, 123, Taf. 35). These small
trefoil brooches correspond in size and dimension to
the Wymondham and Hedeby mounts, and possess a
similar, double-contoured border, suggesting their use
of equivalent mounts as direct models (Maixner 2005,
147, 214, n.236).
The Wymondham mount, then, appears to combine
the form and fitting arrangement of a Carolingian
mount with decorative motifs normally encountered
on Scandinavian trefoil brooches. It has long been
recognised that Carolingian trefoil-shaped mounts
served as the inspiration for Scandinavian trefoil
brooches, early examples of which adopted the florid
acanthus or scroll motifs typically encountered on the
Continental mounts (Müller 1880). It seems likely that
the Wymondham mount belongs to an early stage in
the reception of Carolingian mounts in Scandinavia
and their subsequent adaptation as trefoil brooches.
A further reflection of its transitional status is to be
found in the bosses at the corner junctions of the
trefoil lobes. These are a reminder of the rivets used to
hold baldric mounts in place and commonly appear as
skeuomorphs of rivets on Viking-period trefoil brooches
(Paterson 1997, 653).
The Wymondham mount can thus be seen to
represent a previously undocumented snapshot of
the transition of the Carolingian trefoil mount to the
Scandinavian trefoil brooch. It seems likely to have
been copied from a rare form of plain or geometrically
decorated baldric mount, its raised bosses and stamped
ring-and-dot decoration suggesting that the adapta-
tion of Carolingian mounts in a Scandinavian setting
was already underway at the time of its production.
This is significant, since Scandinavian trefoil brooches
are thought to have evolved exclusively from trefoil
mounts with naturalistic acanthus ornament or scroll,
the small trefoils with stamped rings and/or stylised
acanthus motifs being interpreted as later, debased or
schematic versions of earlier, more elaborate brooches
(Leahy and Paterson 2001, 194). The evidence of the
Wymondham mount suggests instead that plain or
geometric-decorated mounts, though rare, could have
provided a direct source of inspiration for small trefoil
brooches. Rather than representing devolved, second-
generation trefoil brooches, the smaller trefoils may,
then, have evolved alongside larger brooches with
Carolingian-style plant ornament, originating from an
alternative, but contemporary, source.
A likely origin for the Wymondham mount is
southern Scandinavia, perhaps more specifically
Hedeby, Schleswig Holstein. Located at the interface of
Scandinavia and the Carolingian realm, this site had
access to imported Carolingian metalwork as well as
Scandinavian metalworking traditions and served as
a production centre for small trefoil brooches with
geometric and stylised acanthus ornament, as attested
by numerous surviving trefoil-brooch moulds (Maixner
2005, Kat. B. XXXVII–XLIX). The mount’s discovery
in Norfolk is of particular interest due to the signifi-
cant number of southern Scandinavian-style artefacts
 TREFOIL-SHAPED MOUNT FROM WYMONDHAM
now recorded from the county (Kershaw 2010). Over
30 small trefoil brooches are known from Norfolk, in
addition to a heterogeneous mix of other trefoil, lozenge
and domed disc brooches with close parallels in the area
of Viking-Age Denmark: recent discoveries include a
domed disc brooch with three Borre-style animal heads
from Hindringham (HER 24909) and one with paired
S-shaped Jellinge-style creatures from Quidenham (HER
24050; Margeson 1996; 1997; Kershaw 2010). In this
context, the Wymondham mount adds to the countable
set of available Scandinavian styles in Norfolk from the
late 9th century, providing further confirmation of the
close cultural links which existed between Denmark
and Norfolk in the decades following Scandinavian
settlement in England.
July 2011
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