The finds: Flagon

Excavation of the flagon

One of the medallions on the flagon

A cast bronze flagon of carinated form with a slightly convex base and a lid that is secured to the ornate handle by a chain. The handle was made separately and the upper part of the handle is secured to the neck by a plain band. The lower part of the handle is fastened by a second band, the central part of which has three embossed medallions containing a figure, possibly a saint, on a horse that faces to the left. The ends taper to form wires that extend to the handle and are twisted around it (now damaged). Vessels of this type were made at unidentified centres in the eastern Mediterranean area between the 6th and 9th centuries. They were widely exported. Similar vessels are known from Persia, Turkestan, Tunisia, Germany and Sweden, the largest collection being from Sardis, near Corinth in Greece. This is the first example of its type from England.

3D reconstruction of the flagon (embedded java, 475kb)

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This text is extracted from "Prittlewell, Southend-on-Sea, Essex". See the full report here.