|
Date: |
|
Description: | Cast lead/lead alloy container probably used as a bird feeder of later medieval or post medieval date (1450-1550). The upper part of the container has been slightly crushed and torn. It is broadly sub rectangular in plan and profile. The upper edge is a horizontal lip. It is likely that the container was originally D shaped in plan, with a rounded front (as the base). It has been cast (presumably in a three part mould) and a clear seam is present on the two long sides and the base (the seam is slightly staggered and this might be evidence of slippage in the mould). The container measures 42.7mm in length, 36.5mm width and is 21.4mm thick. The thickness of the metal varies and can only be measured at the mouth, where it is 3.6mm thick. The container weighs 94.47 grams; however, this is not accurate, as approximately half is filled with compacted soil (the upper part of this was removed by the FLO to assess the damage and also provide advice for the conservation/care of the object; this was placed in flotation and no organic material was present). The back, sides and base are flat and plain (apart from the seam). The front is decorated with a series of devices, forming what seems to be a heraldic emblem. The design of this consists of two areas of decoration: the major one consists of a chevron, with two crosses with expanded terminals, a trefoil (cf. fleur-de-lis) above and five pellets below, possibly forming a flower. There is a vertical border with diagonal hatching. The front has suffered from abrasion and there are several areas where small gouged lines are present (these are relatively recent as they cut through the patina; several distort the central design). There is no evidence for how this feeder would have been attached to the cage, though some examples have hooks or pierced lugs.The container is a mid yellow/greenish grey with an even abraded patina on all surfaces. Crushing and other abrasion has resulted in the lead alloy corroding and laminating (this only affects the upper edge and the other surfaces are reasonably stable). Similar decorated containers have been identified as bird seed or water containers and dated to the later medieval/early post medieval period, c1400-1600 (it has also been suggested, less convincingly, that they could have been used as dice shakers, grain measures, blood letting cups, inkwells or for water containers/fonts for private homes). A similar but undecorated container in Brian Read, 1995: 'History beneath our feet', pages 127-128, figure 811, is probably from the 17th century.
Original Image | Publisher: | http://finds.org.uk | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Identifier: | http://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/r... | Go to resource |
|
More Like this...
-
Container
Cast lead/lead alloy container probably…
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
VESSEL
Cast and wrought lead or…
-
CONTAINER
Cast copper alloy container, possibly…
-
VESSEL
An incomplete cast or wrought…
|