I found this pic last night while doing a GIS for the word “pommel”.

The site, http://weekend-wanderers.itgo.com/pictures11.htm ,which appears to be a metal detecting club based just north of London, has some cool finds. Apparently someone in the club is speculating that it may be a 12th century sword pommel.

At first glance it looked rather more like a small mace head to me, but the image gives no sense of scale. There appear to be two holes near the top that I would think are perfect for pinning to a haft.

Has anyone seen a pommel like this? If it is a pommel it's not like anything I've ever seen. If it is a mace, it's certainly unique as well.

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My guess is that it's neither. Perhaps its a censer or something of that nature.

It had occured to me that it was neither of the above, but it's a bit too crude to be a censer, I would think. As far as i am aware, censers are almost always elaborate 9or at least lovingly crafted) affairs. It could be the top of a bedpost for all I know, but I wondered if there was anything to the pommel claim, as it looks so unlike any pommel I've ever seen.

Even if it was a macehead, I've not seen many examples like it from England. Eastern Europe would be more feasible, but as I mentioned this was posted by a metal detecting club north of London.

Hi.......I seem to recall that I have a pic or period illustration somewhere of an item like this and it is of a Ceremonial Mace head of Office. Cant be sure, but it was of an open 'weave' design just like this. I'll see if I can dig it up.
Cheers

Hi,
I think it is remarkably well preserved for a piece of 12th century iron dug up from the ground. From the condition it is much later or if it is that period then it has the appearance of having survived out of the ground.
I suspect it is some sort of finial from decorative ironwork of a much later date. Possibly screen, tomb or some type of architectural embellishment. Its not a lot different from modern or perhaps Victorian so called 'period' curtain fittings. Gavin may be getting there with his bedpost theory !
I could be totally wrong though. We really need much more detail of the conditions of the find, site etc. Sadly it doesn't get recorded by the treasure seekers with their metal detectors !

Richard

If it is a weapon I would guess a mace of some sort. Either ceremonial or a light mace because it appears as thought he holes on the edges look to me like they would be for a retaining nail and it looks like there are four holes instead of just two. Who knows, but it is fun to speculate.

Some more thoughts on the mace theory.
A mace for use would by its very nature be solid, otherwise it would tend to crush or collapse on itself as soon as it was struck against something solid, for example armour etc. I havn't heard of a mace specially designed for use against un armoured persons or serfs with no head protection ! Some idea though !
A ceromonial mace is almost certainly going to be ornate and made of better than average material - precious metals etc. Who knows this could have had a gilt/gold plated finish.
Still think it is an architectural object of some sort.

Richard

I should add that the bottom of the artifact does look more consistent with an ornamental mace head

I think this line rules out the mace head theory:

"The item is about 1.5 inches high and hollow, it looks like bronze."

A hollow mace head 1.5" tall might be handy for bashing mice, but hardly anything else. ;)

This is a fascinating item.
What was (and still is) a common thing is a 'Beadles staff''. I suppose they originally were a weapon but became a symbol of office. Basically a hardwood staff, about 5'0" long with an ornamental head or finial. Similar staffs were common in all parish churches and were carried by vergers or sidesmen. The designs of the metal finial could be pretty varied from crowns, globes,acorns and other mace shapes. They could be quite simple as opposed to a ceremonial mace. I suppose they were in use from the 17th century to the present day.
Richard

Heres the only shot I could find of a parish "Beadle" and his mace-staff that I could find lthough its fairly of a late period.
I must admit, untill this post, I thought a "Beadle " was a type of Dog ! ...so, there you go , we learn lots of new stuff on this forum !
( What is a "Beadle "anyway ? )

Cheers !

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Merv,
I quite like your nobby - knocker thingy description - as acurate as anything else for an unknown object. As for the Beadle's staff - I suppose thats what one calls a staff carried by a beadle. I must get out and photograph some as I couldn't find much on the net.
I've found a mace photo which in silhoutte is very similar but of course is solid. It is 12th/13th century and in the British Museum.
I think we are in great danger of seeing what we want to. I've found a few pics of architectural finials-all sorts of things including spear heads. After 50 years in the ground they could be real puzzles. When I was small I found a spike from some ornamental railings in the garden. For years I clung to the belief it was a spearhead - the innocence of youth !!!
Here's the mace picture.
Richard.

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Sorry - I didn't mean to send three pictures !!!!!!!!! Some more computer lessons from my son are needed !
Richard