Sheath

ID:

4658

Production date:

Late Medieval; 14th century

Location:

In Store

Leather sheath ofr a rondel dagger. Decoration in two fields denoting the blade and the rondel hand guard section; impressed decoration. The top of the sheath flairs out to accommodate the rondel hand guard. This section on the front is decorated with two lozenges, one containing a triple towered castle and the other a fleur-de-lys, both lying horizontally to the rest of the sheath with a row of triangles below. The front of the blade section is decorated with three vertical lozenges containing (from top) a lozenge with fleurs-de-lys terminals (a mascle fleury (or pommetty)), a crucifix with tri-lobed terminals (a cross voided pommetty), and a fleur-de-lys dimidiating a castle triple towered. The heraldry on this sheath may refer to the union through marriage of the houses of Toulouse and Poitou (Wilmott in Cowgill et al, 1987, 47-49). The back has a centre-back seam with extremely fine edge to grain stitch holes. There are the remains of at least four slots near the top of the sheath on the back. The back of the handle is decorated by a row of saltires within rectangular fields. The back of the blade is decorated with a vertical row of semi-quatrefoils either side of the seam. There is a leather sheath lining with the flesh surface facing out.
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Leather sheath ofr a rondel dagger. Decoration in two fields denoting the blade and the rondel hand guard section; impressed decoration. The top of the sheath flairs out to accommodate the rondel hand guard. This section on the front is decorated with two lozenges, one containing a triple towered castle and the other a fleur-de-lys, both lying horizontally to the rest of the sheath with a row of triangles below. The front of the blade section is decorated with three vertical lozenges containing (from top) a lozenge with fleurs-de-lys terminals (a mascle fleury (or pommetty)), a crucifix with tri-lobed terminals (a cross voided pommetty), and a fleur-de-lys dimidiating a castle triple towered. The heraldry on this sheath may refer to the union through marriage of the houses of Toulouse and Poitou (Wilmott in Cowgill et al, 1987, 47-49). The back has a centre-back seam with extremely fine edge to grain stitch holes. There are the remains of at least four slots near the top of the sheath on the back. The back of the handle is decorated by a row of saltires within rectangular fields. The back of the blade is decorated with a vertical row of semi-quatrefoils either side of the seam. There is a leather sheath lining with the flesh surface facing out.

Published: Cowgill, J, de Neergaard M, and Griffiths,N, 1987, Knives and Scabbards: medieval finds from excavations in London, 165, no. 488 & fig 106 < Hide

Measurements

L 205 mm; W 76 mm

Materials

leather

Last Updated

2024-03-14