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Sceat Interlace Cross type
| Issuer | Frisia |
|---|---|
| Year | 695-740 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 1 Sceat |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Stylized diademed bust facing left, rendered with exaggerated, schematic features characteristic of Frisian sceat artistry, with striated hair indicated by incised lines and a beaded necklace at the throat. Pellets are dispersed before the face and in the surrounding field, with a cross motif positioned below the bust. The entire design is enclosed within a beaded border following the irregular flan edge. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Central interlaced cross composed of four interwoven arms forming four looped compartments, each containing a single pellet at its center. The interlace work is executed in the vigorous, abstract Germanic ornamental tradition typical of Frisian sceattas. Additional pellets are scattered in the field between the cross arms, and the design is enclosed by a prominent beaded border. |
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| Additional information |
Frisian sceats circulated across the North Sea trading network at a moment when no single political authority controlled the region's commerce — these coins moved through emporia like Dorestad and Domburg largely on the strength of their silver content rather than any issuing guarantee. The interlace cross type falls within Metcalf's classification of the so-called "porcupine" series derivatives, struck by Frisian moneyers working outside Carolingian or Anglo-Saxon institutional frameworks.
At just over a gram, these pieces were produced without the benefit of centralised quality control, and weight variation across the type is considerable.