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Date: |
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Description: | A lead ampulla, or holy water flask, of AD c. 1350-c. 1530 (see Spencer 1990: 58). The flask's chamber is roughly circular in plan and tapers upwards into the narrower neck. At the junction between the neck and the chamber are the remnants of two lug handles, one on either side of the vessel. One of the surfaces of the vessel is slightly convex and the opposite side is flat. On the convex side, at the centre of the chamber, is what appears to be a crowned letter 'W'. Also on this side, at the same height as the lugs, is a central 'M' or inverted letter 'W'. Both elements are relief-stamped. A similar example, from Salisbury, is discussed by Spencer (2000: 60-61, no. 138), who suggests it may have originated at Walsingham, the uppermost letter referring either to 'Maria' or, if inverted, to 'Walsingham'. A further interesting feature of this artefact is the presence, on the opposite side, of a deliberate perforation. This inverted drop-shaped hole is located at the centre of the chamber and was probably created for the purpose of removing the holy water from the otherwise sealed flask. The artefact is bent and very corroded. It measures 50.5mm long, 31.1mm wide and 6.6mm thick. The weight is 52.77g.
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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