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Description: | An incomplete early-medieval copper-alloy hanging bowl of c. 7th-century date. The bowl has been squashed by the weight of the soil post deposition, distorting its original round form into a sub-teardrop shape. The rim has suffered a number of fractures: three at probable suspension points and a further three approximately equidistantly between these points. In places the rim has been elongated, whilst in others it has been bent inwards. Certain rim sections seem to retain the bowl's original curvature from which a diameter of c. 220mm can be extrapolated. This would put it at the upper end of Bruce-Mitford's (2005, 473) size category of 'medium-sized' hanging bowls; large hanging bowls begin at 230mm, going up to a diameter of c. 460mm (ibid., 30). In addition to the rim damage, the artefact has suffered a number of tears to its body, mostly from the rim downwards or to the lower to mid body, with one tear at the circumference of the raised base. The tears are associated with depressions to the exterior of the bowl. The exterior of the bowl is also significantly scratched, with none of the scratches seeming to form any decorative patterns.
The bowl seems to bear little evidence for suspension hooks, notwithstanding its unconserved state (at the time of recording; the artefact has since been conserved). However, it would appear to have a rim and a base diagnostic of early-medieval hanging bowls. The base is raised internally creating an internal platform c. 77mm in diameter. On might expect a roundel to be mounted on this, as well as onto the base's underside. The only marks on the underside of the base are four intriguing areas of tinning, equally spaced. The rim has been folded, and can be classified as a 'B' rim, typical of the 7th century AD (ibid., 11). As alluded to above, the upper surface of the rim features three equally spaced circular perforations; what are presumed to be points of suspension. There is no obvious evidence for any hooks or escutcheons at these points as is typical of hanging bowls.
In the absence of any decorative elements such as roundels or escutcheons, or any external engraved decoration, the dating of this object is mainly based on the rim form. This would not be inconsistent with the date range suggested by Geake (1999, 17) for the deposition of all hanging bowls: c. 600 - c. 725 AD. The object reaches a height of c. 95mm. It has a dark, shiny patina externally ranging from bronze to dark brown. Externally there are areas of green corrosion product; this characterises the bowl's interior. | Subjects: | hanging bowl | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Creator: | Webley, Robert - Portable Antiquities Scheme | Identifier: | http://www.findsdatabase.org.uk/hms/pas_... | Language: | en-GB | Go to resource |
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