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Description: | Incomplete and broken cast copper alloy (possibly brass) ??bee-hive?? or ??Heavy Duty?? thimble of later medieval date (1400-1550). The thimble is incomplete and crushed, a small area of one of the sides is lost. Originally it is likely that the thimble was broadly D shaped in plan with gentle sloping sides and a shallow domed top. The top / dome is formed from relatively thick cast metal. Originally the base would have been either circular or slightly oval ?? it is now an irregular lentoid shape. The rim of the thimble is thickened but undecorated. There are no notches or folds present at the base or around the rim. The sides slope and taper toward the shallow domed top. The sides have a series of indentations around them. These are arranged in horizontal circumferential linear bands which are relatively evenly spaced. Each horizontal band is staggered creating a series of non-tessellating pattern. The indentations themselves are broadly circular in plan and become smaller toward the top of the thimbles dome. Many of the indentations have been pierced through the metal and this maybe an indicator of heavy use before loss. When viewed from above the indentations on the top / dome of the thimble are relatively evenly spaced in the circumferential linear bans described above. The top of the thimble has no indentations and is a relatively smooth with a polished patina. From the feel of the thimble it is likely that the dome is formed from thicker metal than the sides, but this cannot be verified due to the crushed damage. The thimble measures 25.8mm length (originally diameter before crushing), 15mm width, is 20.5mm high, formed from 1.2mm thick metal, and weighs 4.44 grams
The thimble is a mid green colour with an even but slightly abraded patina. Some of the patina has been lost through abrasion. The thimble has been crushed and this has caused the metal to split in several places. It is likely that this crushing has also caused the loss of several areas of metal. A similar patina is present on the split suggesting that the damage is relatively old. This is supported by the breaks being abraded rather than fresh. Similar thimbles have been dated to the later part of the medieval period (1400-1550) by Edwin Holmes (Sewing Thimbles FRG Datasheet 9). This type, is commonly known as a beehive thimble, however Holmes identifies the as being ??heavy duty??. | Subjects: | Beehive | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Creator: | Reavill, Peter - Portable Antiquities Scheme | Identifier: | http://www.findsdatabase.org.uk/hms/pas_... | Language: | en-GB | Go to resource |
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