The Corpus: Lythe 32

Volume 6: Northern Yorkshire

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Current Display: Lythe 32, Yorkshire North Riding

Overview

Object type: Hogback

Measurements: L. 91.4 cm (36 in) W. 35.6 > 27.9 cm (14 > 11 in) H. 22.9 < 25.4 > 22.2 cm (9 < 10 > 8.75 in)

Stone type: As Lythe 1 (St Oswald)

Plate numbers in printed volume: Ills. 575–6, 580–1

Corpus volume reference: Vol 6 p. 165

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Present Location

In the crypt

Evidence for Discovery

See Lythe 1a–b (St Oswald)

Church Dedication

St Oswald

Present Condition

A complete hogback in good condition: one end damaged

Description

A (long) : The ridge has a triangular section and joins a raised flat moulding along the gable's pitch. The roof pitch is plain, and the low sides are recessed below the eaves, echoing the slope of the roof pitch.

B (end) : Double grooved mouldings, clumsily cut, follow the line of the gable.

C (long) : As face A.

D (end) : As face B, but the grooved mouldings are triple.

Discussion

There is no ornament to assist in dating this grave-cover but its bowed roof ridge determines its hogback character. It is a type i hogback, perhaps a skeuomorph of a Viking-age house, like those Danish examples at Fyrket and Trelleborg (see Schmidt 1970). Ingleby Arncliffe 3 (Ills. 329–32) is similar.

Date

First half of tenth century

References

Collingwood 1911, 297; Collingwood 1912, 126; Lang 1967, 107, no. 7, fig. 28; Schmidt 1970, 24–5, figs. 9, 10 (centre); Schmidt 1973, 76, fig. 33f; Bailey 1980, 98, fig. 13d; Lang 1984a, 101, 154, no. 15, pl. on 155; Bailey and Cramp 1988, 29, 125; Schmidt 1994, 154, 155, figs. 69, 70

Endnotes

None