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Description: | Cast lead weight, rectangular in plan and profile, and flat in section. It has been incised at one end with the letters 'M' and 'N' which might refer to someone's initials. The top face has also been incised with a single horizontal line down the middle of the weight.
Small flat lead rectangular or square weights are often termed 'Apothecary weights' which were used from the 15th to the 17th centuries, once the mass of the English penny declined steeply and the current penny could no longer be used as a substitute for a weight, especially for sensitive purposes such as making medicines. The weight system was based on the English troy ounce of 31.3g so that this weight, weighing 44.41 g, is about one and a half troy ounces. Often the weights were much lighter, in scruples or grains, a scruple being one twenty-fourth of the troy ounce, or 1.3g. This weight is also one and a half ounces averdepois, which equates to 685 grains or 34 scruples.
Cuddeford (1994) illustrates apothecary weights on page 50, No.17-18 which only weigh 2 scruples and 5 grains, for comparison.
Biggs & Withers (2000) illustrate a similar rectangular weight with four small and two large vertical strokes scratched on the top face on page 68, No.276, which is unclassified.
Egan (1998) lists an example of similar proportions on page 317, No.1018, which is dated to the 14th century. | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Creator: | Tyacke, Anna - Portable Antiquities Scheme | Identifier: | http://www.findsdatabase.org.uk/hms/pas_... | Language: | en-GB | Go to resource |
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