Casgliadau Arlein

CuA cast fitting, biconcave in side-profile, comprising opposed dished and circular discs, joined by a tapering circular stem, overall resembling an ‘egg-cup’ or ‘egg-timer’ shape. The upper disc shows slight wearing around the margins. The lower disc has an integral bronze strap across it, sitting within the dished surface and not projecting above the dish margins. The underside margins show signs of differential wearing on the sides most distant to the strap ends, suggesting a rocking motion during use. The whole artefact is irregular in shape, the underside sitting (yet slightly rocking) on a flat surface to give the upper surface a distinctly angled top, whilst the lower disc is offset, rather than exactly beneath the upper disc. There are no visible wear facets around the central circular stem. Wagon fitting (terminal) or harness fitting – unpublished parallel described as a button fitting from Moel y Gaer hillfort, which is smaller than both examples from Llanmaes. Further parallels from Hohenwalde in Poland: 326 small examples published as buttons, some with bird heads, others with circular heads, associated with three fragments of gold torc. Dated to Halstatt B2/3, equating with the British Ewart Park period.