File:Early Medieval Sword (FindID 480473-363286).jpg

English: Copper-alloy sword pommel of Holmegard/Kragehul type, sub boat-shaped with enlarged trapezoidal central section with three broad flutes between four incised lines on both faces.

Both flanking 'arms' have upper edges which curve gently downward towards an animal-head terminal and have three incised lines between four broad flutes on both faces that continue over the narrow upper edge. The animal-head terminals have slight projections forming ears and curved incised lines for the mouth.

The base is almost flat. There is a tapering vertical rectangular perforation for the missing tang (tapering upward from 8 x 4mm to 7 x 3mm). Length 59mm. Height 12mm. 10mm thick.

A less elaborately decorated example of a similar form is illustrated in Davidson (1962), Plate VI, 33c, with two animal heads flanking a central projection. The original is in E. Behmer 1939, Das Zweischneidige Schwert der Germanischen Volkerwanderungszeit.

Menghin (1983, 64) says: 'Tierkopfendige Knäufe der Form Holmegard-Kragehul (Liste 1, 1d. 14-28) sind in der Masse ihres Vorkommens an skandinavische Fundorte gebunden und kennzeichnen Behmers Typ V. Eines der wenigen kontinentalen, mit den skandinavischen Exemplaren vergleichbaren Beispiele stammt aus dem Brandgrab von Perlberg und gehört wohl dem frühen 5. Jahrhundert an, während der Schwertknauf aus Schretzheim Grab 301 (Liste 1, 1d. 27) mit Sicherheit in das 6. Jahrhundert zu datieren ist.' (Animal head-ended pommels of the form Holmegard-Kragehul are, in the mass of their occurrence in Scandinavian findspots, bound to and characterising Behmer's type V. One of the few continental examples comparable with the Scandinavian examples comes from the cremation grave from Perlberg and is early 5th century, while the sword pommel from Schretzheim 301 is datable with certainty to the 6th century.) Of Menghin's list, one comes from Sweden, two from Norway, eight from Denmark, two from Schleswig and two from further south in Germany (Perlberg and Schretzheim).

Compare WMID-916283, which is almost identical except that the animal-head terminals are less clearly delineated. None of the four illustrated examples in Menghin (1983, 308) closely resemble these. Another pommel of Holmegard-Kragehul type, different again, is known from Cambridgeshire, SF7865.