Chape, scabbard chape

Backplate of a copper alloy peltate chape which is very wide in proportion to its depth. The piece is incomplete and there is no trace of a rivet hole.

There is a similar example from Butzbach in Germany and four examples are known from the Hadrian's Wall area: from South Shields, Chesters, Corbridge and Turret 35A. The dating evidence from the turrets indicates that they were only occupied between the 120s and 140s, and later between the 160s and 180s, Turret 35A, in particular, having a very limited reoccupation. This strengthens the argument that the short peltate chapes were in vogue in the early and mid 2nd century AD.