This bronze belt buckle was found by Rugby Archaeological Society during excavations on the Roman town of Tripontium just outside of Rugby. It dates from the 4th century AD and is one of the finest examples of its kind to be found in the Warwickshire area. It is a superior piece of craftsmanship, which is beautifully decorated with a punched stylised tree in the centre flanked by peacocks, pecking at the seed or berries of the tree. The hook is a representation of two dolphins surmounted by two horse heads. The peacocks feeding off the tree of life have early Christian connotations and reflect a period of the town's history when the conversion from paganism to Christianity would have been taking place.
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