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Description: | A cast copper-alloy sundial box lid in the form of an early type of nocturnal. It is flat, circular in form with a rectangular projection at the top containing on the reverse face two small semi-circular lugs where the lid would have hinged. On the opposite side of the lid from the lugs is a small rectangular notch, perhaps for a clasp. The front face is divided into twelve sections by incised lines that run three-quarters of the way from the edge towards the centre of the object. Each of these twelve sections is sub-divided in half by shorter incised lines, either side of which are two even shorter lines. There appears to be no other sign of decoration on the front face. At the centre is a small copper-alloy rivet that holds in place a flat copper-alloy pointer. This has one circular end through which the rivet passes, the opposite end narrowing to a rectangular form with blunt tip. One edge (internal?) has a slight scalloped collar at the junction of the rounded end and the elongated rectangular end. The back face is flat and undecorated. It measures 38.55mm in diameter and weighs 7.78g.This nocturnal is the lid from a Medieval nocturnal, which would have been used as an instrument to tell the time at night using the stars. Other exampes are recorded through the PAS (HAMP-831705, NLM-ADA657 and HAMP1713), noting that a central hole would be the most important aspect of a nocturnal in telling the time, the current example as with one of the examples from Hampshire (HAMP1713) lacking a central perforation due to the presence of the rivet. This example is of Medieval date, probably belonging in the 14th to 15th centuries AD.
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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