This design is… known from the Sutton Hoo and Valsgärde helmets.
What is it?
This rectangular copper-alloy object is 1-1.5mm thick and measures 4.5cm by 3.7cm. It dates to c.AD 550-625 and is a type of stamping die known as a patrice, which was used to impress images on to sheets of metal to produce decorated foils. The edge of the patrice is broken and the design is worn, complicating interpretation of the full image. However, the central motif clearly depicts a horseman holding a spear and shield, with another man lying beneath the horse. This design is identifiable as the ‘rider and fallen warrior motif’, which is known from the contemporaneous Sutton Hoo and Valsgärde helmets, and has its origins in a similar Roman motif.
Where was it found, and when?
The patrice was found in 2021 by a metal-detectorist surveying a field on the small island of Tåsinge, in the south-east of the Funen archipelago, Denmark. The detectorist has explored this area many times over the last decade, and has also discovered pieces of metal scrap, including a foil, as well as other archaeological finds such as brooches. The patrice was handed in to Svendborg Museum, before being sent on to the National Museum of Denmark where it was studied in detail by curator Peter Pentz. This analysis revealed clues to the object’s true significance, including its possible link with Sutton Hoo.
