Plate
The largest fragment of cut plate silver shows figurative engravings below the beaded rim; it belonged to a plate of exceptional size and artistic quality. A replica of this fragment has been made in the Restaura restoration laboratory, allowing a clear view of the original form and decoration. Directly below the beaded rim there is a gilded band and the engraved figures are gilded as well. We see a horse and a rider holding – barely visible – the end of a spear in his right hand. Near the horse’s front hoof the paw of a wild animal can be seen. This is no doubt a hunting scene, with a horse trampling a wild animal (lion?). Stylistically closely related to the Echt dish is the hunting scene from a copper alloy square plate at the Louvre museum in Paris. The exact diameter of the Echt dish could not be established, but must have been about 70cm. The original weight is estimated at 5-6kg. Measurements with XRF confirm the presence of mercury, which means that the technique of fire gilding was applied to this dish. Apart from the traces of mercury and the gilded surface, the basic plate is of almost pure silver (98%).
Quantity
1
Container
Bag
Material
Silver
Hoard
