THE SOURCES OF INFLUENCE FOR ROMANESQUE FINDS

Romanesque metal small finds are rare discoveries in England and Wales. For example, less than 300 items are recorded on the Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) database using the style description ‘Romanesque’, and likewise less than 8,000 items date to c.1050-c.1200, of which over half are coins. The stylistic traits of these items are also considerably varied, raising the question what actually makes them Romanesque – it is just their style, or also their form and function? This paper will consider typical types of Romanesque metal small finds found/excavated in recent years, but also examine their sources of influence – particularly by exploring motifs in manuscript art. It will question how grounded is the style of these finds in Romanesque art, and ask whether these attributes be connected elsewhere? In short this paper will explore where the art on Romanesque metal small finds sits within the long eleventh century – and beyond…


Author(s): Lewis, Michael (British Museum; Portable Antiquities Scheme)