Sheath

Leather knife sheath with impressed and stamped decoration. The sheath is decorated on the front and back in two zones reflecting the handle and blade areas. The front is decorated with panels of impressed lattice each with a stamped circle within. The back has impressed panels of diagonal lines. There is a side wing or extension with two suspension slots. There is a centre back seam which originally would have held a small triangular insert (this is now missing). The seam has edge/grain stitch holes. The decoartion is similar to two examples from London, one dated to the early to mid 13th century (Cowgill et al 1987, 116, fig 76, no. 373) and the other undated (Cowgill et al 1987, 156, fig 100, no. 465). A late 12th to 13th century sheath from Dublin is also very similar (Cameron, 2007, 104, no. DLS 175).