Archaeologists: Innit Pritty?

STRAP END: SUR-970F39

It's a finds Friday again, and true to form, although the Geological Survey have failed to produce their sedimentary lithology sample of the week for public delectation, the archaeology enthusiasts are still at it... "Look-wot-we-found, you lot, Luvverly Treszure... yay, innit pritty?"

 The PAS 'record' of this artefact hunter's find of a Winchester-style strapend fragment from Nuffield is big on the art history and narrativisation, low on the archaeology and zero on context and taphonomy. Why is it in this state? It looks to have been snapped off deliberately - why? Or is this another one of the things oikish tekkies and their claquers are going to tell us was 'rescued from the plough'?

Acquired by Oxfordshire Museums Service after being declared Treasure - and how many similarly interesting objects of copper alloy or other metals are pocketed by collectors and never seen again because they are not gold or silver?  I doubt whether Bloomsbury is able to engage in a discussion of where the system is failing us, so anxious are they for self-promotion through only talking of 'success'.