Southern art on the northern frontier: a remarkable Iron Age harness fitting from Doune Roman fort

Abstract

• In 2010 excavations within the Flavian fort of Doune (Stirling) uncovered a remarkable bronze strap junction with red glass inlay, decorated in styles of Celtic art typical of southern Britain rather than its immediate environs (Figure 1). Unfortunately, post excavation funding for this phase of the work was not forthcoming for anything more than partial treatment of the assemblage; as a result, the published account is brief and the accompanying drawing inaccurate in some details.1 This paper seeks to remedy this, and consider parallels in other exotic metalwork from northern forts and the possible mechanisms behind this.