Belt Strap Ends: Trewhiddle Style

Two decorative bronze belt strap ends in the 9th century Anglo-Saxon Trewhiddle style — one zoomorphic (the backward-biting beast), one knotwork. My designs, inspired by Portable Antiquities Scheme finds I liked the look of.

I keep coming back to Trewhiddle. Small panels separated by beaded borders, each containing a single motif — typically a crouching animal looking backward or biting itself. The PAS has recorded hundreds of strap ends like these, which is useful for someone like me who wants to see a lot of examples before picking one to copy. The drilled dot for the creature’s eye is apparently a Trewhiddle signature — I didn’t know that until I started reading.

These are plain bronze without niello, but follow the design conventions. They would have been fitted to the end of a leather belt — protect the leather, show off.

Full project documentation (PDF)