The same but different: A note on a recently found zoomorphic drinking horn terminal

This article discusses a find that is arguably one of the most important Anglo-Scandinavian objects to have come to light in the past decade. The artefact in question has been interpreted as a zoomorphic mount that originally adorned the pointed end of a large drinking horn. The author identifies a theme linking this prestigious artefact with three other zoomorphic drinking horn terminals: although all these terminals form an animal head, the right and left sides of each beast are not identical. An attempt is made to reveal the mnemonic agency of the drinking horns as it relates to early medieval ceremonial drinking. Without producing irrefutable answers to all questions about these enigmatic mounts, the article presents a case study in the early medieval archaeology of the mind.