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Description: | An incomplete cast copper alloy nail cleaner of Roman date, probably third or fourth century. Length: 30.2mm; width: 10.7mm and 1.2mm thick. Weight: 1.97g.The surviving part of the nail cleaner is composed of a flat plate and prior to the old break at one end and at one side, it would probably have been lozenge shaped with a suspension loop at one end (now missing). The opposite, terminal end, is bifurcated to form the usual two prongs with a narrow groove dividing them. The tip of each prong is lost due to an old break. The front face is decorated with a large punched ring-and-dot motif and also several other smaller but similar motifs. The large motif is centrally situated. However, the smaller motifs appear to be randomly placed. The rear face is flat and plain.The implement has a bluish green patina.A rough typology for Roman nail cleaners has been provided by Crummy. See Crummy 1983. 'Colchester Archaeological Report 2: The Roman small finds from excavations in Colchester 1971-9'. 57-58.
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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