11th-century figure-of-eight buckle from Charavines

The fortified settlement of Colletière, dating from the first half of the 11th century, is an archaeological site submerged at the bottom of Lake Paladru, at the place called Colletière, in the commune of Charavines in Isère, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. It was established by a group of settlers known as "peasant knights" and was abandoned a few decades later because of the rising waters of the lake.

As the site was far from the copper routes but close to iron mines, these "peasant knights" preferred steel to bronze. Many iron and steel artefacts have therefore been found.

Among these pieces are several figure-of-eight buckles, mainly for fastening spurs.

I present here reproductions of these buckles at actual size for a 10 mm strap, and in an enlarged belt version for a 15 mm strap.