Early Medieval Copper Alloy Dress Accessories in the Kingdom of Lindsey

Copper alloy objects are some of the most prominent material remains from the Early
Medieval period in England, and are most frequently found through metal detecting.
However, due to the decontextualised nature of their discovery, metal detected objects are
often overlooked by analytical academic studies. This research addresses this imbalance, and
demonstrates the potential of metal artefacts recorded by the Portable Antiquities Scheme in
further scientific analysis. This thesis establishes a chronology for Early Medieval object
types within the the former Kingdom of Lindsey, a region that traditionally has been largely
understudied archaeologically.
Focusing primarily on objects recovered through metal detecting, but also supplemented by
those found on selected excavations, this thesis presents a pXRF survey of 293 Early
Medieval copper alloy items of personal display as well as some additional material, ranging
in date from the Early Saxon period to the Second Viking Age (c. 450-1100 AD). This survey
is the first detailed scientific study of its kind, and the only one to focus on metal detected
finds from Lincolnshire.

The thesis establishes both a chronological overview of the broad changes occurring within
copper alloy compositions and explores whether these changes were connected to concurrent
Early Medieval socio-political developments. Questions are raised relating to metal supply,
recycling, and cultural influence on production. In particular, the analysis has highlighted a
significant decrease in the use tin within the alloys, whilst the inclusion of lead increased
over the course of the study period. This thesis explores the possible circumstances
surrounding production traditions in Lindsey that may have resulted in such a change,
whilst highlighting the role that the Portable Antiquities Scheme can play in future scientific
analysis of archaeological metals.