Finds Showcase for January 2004
The Portable Antiquities Scheme has been producing a showcase of some special items that it has seen each month. To view the older showcases, click on the months listed below.
2005 - January
2004 - January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | November | December
| Welcome to the Portable Antiquities Scheme's January showcase. Here you can see some of the interesting and unusual finds that have been recorded in the last few weeks by our regional Finds Liaison Officers. | |
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This is just a selection of the finds recorded; you can browse the finds
database to see many more. If you need help browsing the database, then please contact info@finds.org.uk stating your problem. |
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| Witch bottle, Lincolnshire | |
| Post-medieval glass witch-bottle and contents. The glass bottle has a wide flat base with a twisted/fluted narrow neck, which is broken mainly around the rim. The size and form of the base and neck indicates that the vessel was originally an inkwell or a small ornamental candle holder, the former being more likely. The vessel has a seam running up the side, indicating that it was made in a mould. Read more >> |
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| Post Medieval Token, Hereford & Worcester | |
| A Post-Medieval token from Hereford & Worcester. This depicts a
tankard with a hinged lid - presumably representing a pewter tankard. Read more >> |
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| Post-Medieval Lead Seal, Kent | |
| Lead seal, probably a bag seal. The seal consists of two discs linked by a sprue, which is bent in the middle, so that the two discs are back to back. The seal is slightly damaged and encrusted with corrosion. View the record >> |
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| Medieval Memorial Brass, Suffolk | |
| Portion of an inscription from a monumental brass of the early fifteenth century. The preserved fragment contains part of the date in gothic numeral letters, and is from the bottom line of a square or rectangular panelled inscription which would have been inset into the matrix beneath single or paired figures of the deceased. Read more >> |
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| Horse Harness Pendant, Essex | |
| Copper alloy quatrefoil shaped pendant. The pendant, including the hanging loop, is 41mm high, 31.74mm wide, 3.9mm thick and weighs 13.74 grammes. The pendant is quatrefoil in plan, with a small knop at each corner junction. The hanging loop is circular and placed transverse to the body of the mount. The loop is broken and incomplete. Read more >> |
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| Bronze Age Palstave, Bedfordshire | |
| Bronze Age cast copper-alloy palstave in intact condition. Has two stop ridges at top - each measuring 63mm long, by 19.5mm wide, by 9.5mm deep. The blade extends from beneath the stop ridges and measures 84.8mm long, by 74.8mm at the cutting edge. Both sides of the blade, between the stop ridges and the cutting edge have unusual decoration consisting of double converging ribs which form two triangles (one inside another). The point of the outer triangle extends into a central rib which runs down the centre of the blade, stopping just short of the cutting edge. Read more >> |
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| Post Medieval Rowel Spur, Isle of Wight | |
| Incomplete copper alloy rowel spur. Probably mid-seventeenth century. Both terminals, the rowel and half of side of the rowel box are missing. Length of the surviving part 110mm, maximum width between the outer faces of the sides 49mm. Weight 47.22g. The sides diminish in depth from the crest towards the breaks
near the terminals. At the crest the depth is 16.5mm and at the breaks, near the terminals, the depth is about 7mm. Read more >> |
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| Roman Steelyard Weight , Humberside | |
| A Roman copper alloy steelyard weight in the form of a male bust. Although corroded the bust appears to be bearded and have curly hair. On top of the head is a small attachment loop with a circular perforation. On each side of the attachment loop is a small triangular expansion extending vertically from the head. Although these have the appearance of animal ears, they are likely to represent the winged helmet of Mercury, and therefore the bust is likely to be a representation of Mercury. Read more >> |
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