|
Date: |
|
Description: | This incomplete artefact consists of a deep orange coloured oval shaped intaglio that is set at the centre of three concentric copper-alloy frames. These frames do not lay completely flat. The first frame holds the intaglio in place with a thin field of white 'paste/substance' between the two. The second frame is a 'Y' shape. The top of the 'Y' frame is level with the middle of the intaglio. The tail of the 'Y' extends down 4.49mm with a width of 7.08mm and thickness of 2.87mm before narrowing for a further length of 3.92mm with a width of 3.20mm and thickness of 1.94mm. The tail of the 'Y', both parts, has a rectangular cross-section. The third, outer, frame lines up with the edge of the chunkier part of the 'Y' frame's tail but continues past the top to form a full oval. The field between the outer and inner frames and the top of the 'Y' shaped frame is filled with the same white substance. At the top of the frame, on the opposite edge to the 'Y' tail, is an integral projection from the outer frame. This projection has a circular cross-section with a diameter of 1.43mm and a length of 5.82mm. The projection curves up slightly but it is uncertain whether this is intentional or represents slight damage. Two small zones of iron corrosion are present around the top of the 'Y' frame, a zone on each side of the intaglio, between the outer and inner frames. This indicates that tiny iron pins held the three frames together and strongly suggest that they pivoted or hinged on these pins. The bar that forms the inner frame is 1.18mm wide. The bar of the 'Y' frame is 1.22mm wide at the tips and increases as the bar gets closer to the junction between the arms and tail of the 'Y'. The tail of the 'Y' has a maximum width of 7.08mm. The outer frame has a width of 1.42mm but when viewed from the front the top half of the outer frame increases in width, with right angled turns, to 2.49mm. This right angled increase in width occurs at the widest point of the artefact, over the same place where the iron pins form an axis bar to the three frames. This seems to indicate that the direction of the pivot of the intaglio was restricted so that the top of the intaglio could only swing down and the bottom of the intaglio could only move upwards.The image on the intaglio shows a female figure standing right. A post is in front of the figure upon which she is leaning. Both of the figure's elbows rest on the top of the post and her chin rests in the palm of one hand.This artefact has been looked at under a microscope at the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge by Deborah Walton (Renaissance Regional Conservation Officer - Cambridgeshire & Peterborough), Conservator Julie Dawson (Senior Assistant Keeper of Antiquities at The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge) and one of her colleagues. This revealed small traces of silvering that shows the copper-alloy frame was originally finished with a thin layer of applied silver. This artefact was taken to The Fitwilliam Museum in an attempt to identify the white paste/substance. The microscope revealed that it was porous, and quite possibly a corrosion product, possibly with some mud still remaining. The consensus of opinion was that this was unlikely to have been present when the artefact was first made or at least not visible, if it was present, due to the use of silvering over the surface.This incomplete artefact weighs 7.62g, has a total length of 40.21mm, width of 22.35mm and thickness of 2.86mm.The finder thought that this item might be the lid of a Roman seal box. An image of this artefact was shown to Laura Mclean, Finds Liaison Officer for Essex, as no comparison for this artefact could be found. Laura thought that this artefact might be a neoclassical fob seal but recommended that a second opinion should be sought from National Finds Advisor Sally Worrell.Sally Worrell, National Finds Advisor, said: "I also doubt it's great age as the intaglio cutting doesn't appear very fine and there's a complete lack of cut marks". Sally advised that images were shown to Rev. Martin Henig, leading expert on Roman intaglios.Rev. Martin Henig identifies this artefact as: "This is definitely recent, late 18th/early 19th century..with one of those ladies one sees as mourning figures on church monuments..Yes, it does seem the lid of some sort of box, ? a pill box but not ancient. One does get such intaglios worn as fob seals attached to a chain but this is not such a seal.. A low grade,mass produced moulded intaglio too....".
Original Image | Publisher: | http://finds.org.uk | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Identifier: | http://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/r... | Go to resource |
|
More Like this...
-
BROOCH
Cast copper-alloy annular brooch. The…
-
VESSEL
Cast copper-alloy vessel lid. Wide,…
-
BUCKLE
Copper-alloy D-shaped buckle with expanded…
-
BUCKLE
Copper-alloy buckle and plate. Oval…
-
-
BROOCH
Cast copper-alloy plate brooch with…
-
-
-
BUCKLE
Cast copper-alloy oval buckle with…
-
BUCKLE
Copper-alloy oval buckle and plate.…
|