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Description: | Incomplete cast copper alloy apostle spoon of probable late medieval or early post-medieval date (1450-1550).
The spoon measures 175mm in length, a maximum 45.4mm wide and maximum 6.5mm thick. It weighs 21.63 grams. The spoon is cast in one piece but is best described by dividing it into three parts; the bowl, the stem, and the figure/ apostle knop.
The bowl is a sub-ovoid shape (pear or fig shaped) in plan and is concave (or U shaped) in cross section. It has been damaged on the lower edge (furthest away from the stem). The bowl measures 55.7mm in length, 45.4mm width and is 1mm thick. The bowl is approximately 14.5mm deep (this measurement is taken from an imaginary line between the edge of the bowl and stem). On the upper part of the bowl, in line with the stem, is a round stamp or mark. Not enough detail survives to make out any characters or images. The stamp is approximately 4.5mm in diameter.
The stem of the spoon is sub-rectangular in both plan and profile. It is oval in cross section at the top of the stem (nearest the figure) and expands evenly so that it is lentoid in section at the base nearest the bowl. The stem measures 81.6mm in length; 3.2mm width and 3.4mm thickness at the top of the stem; 5.3mm width and 2.8mm thickness at the base. The stem is also slightly bent in a number of places.
The figure at the top of the spoon is cast and stands on a small dais or column (made from the top of the stem). The figure is roughly oval in plan and sub-oval in cross section. It seems that the figure is either dressed in an academic gown or ecclesiastical cassock which is drawn together at the back by two distinct lines. The figure seems to have both hands raised (and possibly a set of keys in the right hand). Much of the detail on the head is lost but a long beard could be suggested. This part of the spoon has had the most wear and the features on the figure are indistinct.
The spoon is a mid brown colour with patches of light green, the patina is well developed and covers all surfaces. It is unlikely that the spoon can have moved much in the plough soil otherwise it would have suffered much more damage. Similar examples of apostle spoons have been dated to the late 15th Century (1450 ->) and this would tie into the shape of the bowl which is typically late (Ward Perkins London Museum Medieval Catalogue 1940). Closer parallels can be seen in Brian Read's Book 'Metal artefacts of antiquity' 2001; here he has two fragments of similar spoon figures examples 720-721 (pages 92, 96-7). Both of these are dated to the late medieval / early post-medieval periods (1450-1550). | Format: | text/html | License: | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ | Publisher: | The Portable Antiquities Scheme | Rights holder: | The Portable Antiquities Scheme | Subjects: | archaeology | Temporal: | 1450
1550 | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Creator: | Peter Reavill | Identifier: | http://www.finds.org.uk/database/artefac... | Language: | en-GB | Format: | text/html | Go to resource |
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