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Date: |
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Description: | 2007 T451 "Report on post-medieval cockspur (?) from N Yorks 2007 T451 Silver artefact with long slightly curved projecting spur, resembling a large thorn, flaring out at one end and ending in a ridge; pierced with a small hole for attachment. It has been suggested that this object might be a cockspur for use in cockfighting, in which case it would have been attached by the hole at the back onto a leather strap around the cock's leg so as to lengthen the natural spur. The only one reported in the post-medieval collections of the British Museum is made of steel, which would seem a more suitable material. However this may be made of silver, as its appearance suggests, as silver examples were thought suitable for gentlemen's specially bred game-cocks. By the late 17th Century, cock-fighting was considered a gentlemanly pastime which provided opportunity for gambling. A good reference appears in George Powell's play, A Cornish Comedy, performed in 1696, in which one of the characters states: "Hawks, hounds, setting dogs and cocks, with their appurtenances are the true marks of a country gentleman." (J. Strutt, Sports and Pastimes of the People of England, London 1801, p. XXVIII.) Cock-fighting was a popular sport in England from Roman times until it was banned by Act of Parliament in 1835. References to cock-fighting appear in Shakespeare (Hamlet V, 2 and Anthony and Cleopatra 11, 3.36) and it is frequently mentioned as a popular rural and city pastime of the common people into the 19th Century. Given the unchanging design of this kind of artefact it is hard to date this example. It might be 17th Century, or later. As such, due to its age and precious metal content, this object qualifies as Treasure under the stipulations of the Treasure Act 1996. This is the first post-medieval example to be recorded under the Act. Dr Dora Thornton, Curator of Renaissance Collections The British Museum"
Original Image | Publisher: | http://finds.org.uk | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Identifier: | http://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/r... | Go to resource |
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