Belt plate, military belt buckle plate

Buckle from a belt, found in the grave of a late Roman man in the eastern cemetery of Roman London (burial number B538). His grave goods (two glass bottles, a brooch and a belt decorated with chip-carved metal plates) indicated that he was a man of high rank, possibly a senior soldier or official in the Roman government. The remains of the belt were found by the man’s left shoulder so it was placed in his grave, rather than being worn.
Decoration: copper alloy D-shaped buckle frame with carved animal-head terminals and punched decoration, complete with tongue, is attached to the buckle plate which is similar in shape and design to the other plates of the belt set. The central square panel within the main rectangle introduces a new design, being divided into two each of which contains a saltire. The central zone is bordered by a band of scrollwork in niello and there are similar, but not identical, zoomorphic designs meeting at the apex of the triangle. The plate was attached to the belt with small rivets, as with the other elements of the belt set.