Colchester Archaeological Report 2: The Roman small finds

CATEGORY8: OBJECTS ASSOCIATED WITH TRANSPORT
All the catalogued items connected with transport are
from horse or oxen equipment except the ?cart fitting,
2545. Harness from both ridden and driven animals
is no doubt represented here, but it is not always
possible to distinguish between the two (eg straploops).
Also, there is not always a positive means of
distinguishing cavalry from civilian harness. Where
an item seems likely to be military from its context it
has been catalogued under military equipment.
HARNESS
Hipposandal (Fig 108; 2536). Discussions of the
precise function of hipposandals can be found in
Manning 1972, 171, Ward 1941, 26-7, and Clark
1976, 236-7.
2536 Fig 108 SF BUC 1215(C), CI 661 L4. Modern. Iron. Length
217.0mm, width (incomplete) 109.5mm, height 117.5mm.
Hipposandals have been classified into three types (by
Aubert, see Manning 1972, 171). This example belongs to
Type 1, with a long hooked rod at the front, side-wings, and a
hooked heel. One side-wing is missing.
Bridles (Fig 109; 2537-2538). No metal fragments
Fig 108 Hipposandal (1:2)
105
from bridles have been found or recognized. The two
objects described here are cheekpieces, which lie
outside the horse's mouth against the cheek and thus
prevent the bit from sliding through the mouth (Green
1977, 41).
2537 Fig 109 SF LWC 4194, J214 F112. Pit. Post-Roman. A
pierced ?deer phalange, possibly used as a cheekpiece for a
leather bit (ORL 8, 182, pl 20, 91, 92). Length 56.5 mm,
maximum width 18.0mm, maximum diameter of oval
perforation 7.0mm. Possibly post-Roman.
2538 Fig 109 SF IRA 1, 5 F5. Pit. Mid to late 1st century. A
fragment of an antler cheekpiece for use with a leather bit.
The object appears to be well polished, possibly the result of
wear. In contrast, it has been quite roughly made. Crude cuts
are visible round the perforation, at the broad broken end,
and at the inset section. Similar cheekpieces are found from
the prehistoric period onwards in both Europe and Asia
(Roes 1960, 68-72; Britnell 1976; Foltiny 1967). A
suggested alternative use for less well-worn examples is
that they may be crude needles used in the manufacture of
twig or rush matting or thatching (Roes 1960, 71-2). Length
88.0mm, maximum diameter 19.0mm.
Strap-loops (2539-2541). Only fragments of straploops
identified as ?civilian were found. Not
illustrated; in microfiche catalogue. Cavalry straploops
are catalogued under military equipment.