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Description: | A cast copper alloy Late Iron Age to Roman cosmetic pestle (length: 26mm; width of ovoid tip/ terminal: 20mm; thickness of ovoid tip/ terminal: 6mm; weight: 6.42g). Ralph Jackson has identified this artefact as a double-looped idiosyncratic version of a centre-looped type of pestle used as part of a two-piece set with cosmetic mortar and pestle. The double-loops (inner loop diameter: 3.5mm) seem to have been attached and soldered on to either side of the stem (length: 15.5mm; width: 4.5mm). The stem also seems to have been attached on to the ovoid or ??rugby-shaped?? tip/ terminal. Overall, the pestle is in a slightly worn but fair condition with a dark green patina. Only a few very similar examples of this type of pestle are known, one of which is from Walsoken, Cambridgeshire. Two examples of the centre-looped pestles were found at Wicklewood, Norfolk. Both these examples are, however, quite different due to their single central loop in comparison to this double-looped example (see reference numbers below). The usual plain appearance of the pestle has in the past made identification difficult and is possibly the cause of its rare appearance in print. Some centre-looped pestles have, in the past, been identified as pendants. As cosmetic grinders, the two-piece sets were intended to be hung or suspended when not in use by a leather lace or thong, perhaps hanging from the waist. The discovery at St. Albans, Chichester and Wanborough of cosmetic sets from burials suggests they may have been Chatelaine-type instruments, similar to ??pocket sets?? of toilet implements used during the Iron Age and Roman periods. Due to possibly being suspended from the waist, casual or accidental losses must have been a problem (Jackson, 1985, pages 169-172). The majority of centre-looped mortars and pestles have been found in the South-East of England with particularly large numbers from East Anglia and a massive concentration in Colchester. Few ??cosmetic sets??, or their component parts, are closely and securely dated, but many do seem to fall in to the 1st/ 2nd century AD (Jackson, 1985, 172 & 175). Reference: Jackson, R; ??Cosmetic sets from Late Iron Age and Roman Britain??, in Britannia, Volume 16, 1985, pages 165-192. | Subjects: | Double-looped version of centre-looped | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Creator: | Johnson, Caroline - Portable Antiquities Scheme | Identifier: | http://www.findsdatabase.org.uk/hms/pas_... | Language: | en-GB | Go to resource |
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