Sword Scabbard Mount
This scabbard mount is made from a cast copper alloy and has a brown patina. It has a T bar shape with the stem shorter than the two arms.[1] There is a double strand interlace design in the center of the crossbar in the viking Borre style. At each end of the two arms there is a zoomorphic head with a simple snout and two raised dots for eyes. The snout continues onto the back of the mount and creates a recess where the scabbard would fit. It was found using a metal detector in Colchester on the east coast of England.
The Borre style of artwork was popular during the late ninth century into the early tenth century, and this scabbard mount was likely made during this time to be paired with a sword and used by a viking raider in battle. The location of the find and the period in which it was made suggests that the mount may have been discarded by a warrior in the Great Army. This army landed in England in 865 and remained active in the area of the find until the late 870s. The Great Army was made up of many different Norse parties and groups, but a similar find discovered in Skane, Sweeden suggests that this mount may have been brought over from Sweden. Even after the Great Army disbanded, Colchester was part of the Danelaw and the mount may have been discarded during this time period as well, as Danes settled down and assimilated to English customs. The scabbard mount helps to show the artisanal skill of Norse craftsmen, but also indicates a viking military presence in England during and after the tenth century.
