Copper-alloy mount, of a drinking horn or cup?
Bronze mount of drinking horn or cup, diam 7.5cm - 8cm. Consists of strip of sheet bronze, depth 4.3cm, die-stamped with recurrent blocks of figural ornament - identical, or nearly, but overstamped at end to finish pattern in time to make overlapping joint. Repeated 7 times - a scene of central figure seated on chair, haloed, wearing long robe to feet, right hand raised in blessing(?); on either side, standing figures wearing robes to just above ankle, arms folded on breast, both quarter turned towards seated figure. Above left-hand one arm equal-armed cross, above the other a bird with a wreath. Upper and lower border and divisions and chair arms or legs pearled. Very crudely done, with single stamp often used crookedly and occasionally overstamping next panel. Occasionally they impinge on lower border of continuous vine-scroll pattern.Certainly an early Xian piece, possibly Christ between apostles. Whatever its original purpose, the mount has clearly been re-used, possibly on a drinking horn as mounted now. A rough plain bronze strip (rim?) mount has been riveted on to lower edge over vine-scrolls, and on one side, a square-sectioned, pierced lug rivetted to take a loose ring-butt jointed, square-sectioned. The overlap also riveted.