Gilded Bronze Square Rivet Quatrefoil?

[v-drome]

Hi, all.  Here is a large square rivet or belt/harness decoration? from Caesarea Maritima, about 25 x 25 millimeters, and fairly heavy gauge at 1.0mm thick.  The finer decoration of rectangles which are divided into 12 or 16 smaller rectangles appears to be truncated by the thicker cuts.  I can't tell if this was meant to represent a cross, or if I even have it oriented correctly.  The upper side of the post was also gilded, but there is no trace of gold on the underside.  Any ideas on the date, meaning of the design and likely use, would be appreciated.  Thanks, V-drome

BCC MA--
Bronze Metal Artifact
Caesarea Maritima
Uncertain Date
Heavy gauge gilded bronze
alloy rivet, roughly square,
with incised quatrefoil? design.
25 x 24 x 1.0mm. Wt:7.38gm.
Total length of post: 10.4mm. (6.0 out the back)

Click for larger pic

[SC]

To me the length of the post indicates that attachment to leather was unlikely.  More likely it was attached to wood.  Decoration of a wooden box perhaps?

The "feel" is post-Roman but that is with no certainty.  Maybe Islamic era.

"Furniture" decoration, including boxes and chests, is overall poorly documented compared to others types of small finds.....

SC

[v-drome]

Thank you, Shawn.  I will try to do some searching in that direction.  There was one slightly similar item on-line that was called a medieval belt mount, but it was much lighter (2.15 grams), with only a solder mark on the back for a missing pin.  I like your idea that it was attached to wood.

Best regards, Jimi