🔎 UNIDENTIFIED Roman?

[Urien of Rheged]

Normally I'd just assume something like this is somekind of post medieval equestrian mount and it would go into the miscellaneous box with all the rest. However it came up only a few yards from where I found a 1st century Fibula and Sestertius on the line of an old Roman road at a similar depth in which the soil becomes very sandy.
I know those old roads where used for centuries and all manner of stuff gets lost on them but I cant help think that this item, whatever it actually is could well be Roman too?

 

[Jack873]

Stove burner cover?

 

[Urien of Rheged]

Stove burner cover?

Too small and also has decoration which ove never seen on any stove cover.

 

[DCMatt]

I looked at this for a while this morning and didn't find a definitive ID. Full disclosure - I'm American, so Roman finds are not near the top of my knowledge base.

That said, I've been a contributor on this for a long time and have lots of experience with relics from many eras and places around the world. Nothing about your piece says "Roman" to me. The studs are broken off on the back and it seems a hole was drilled to remount the item. The studs are consistent with decorations mounted on leather 19th C and older. I'm thinking this is a horse decoration piece that was affixed to a saddle or maybe blinkers.