|
Date: |
|
Description: | An incomplete cast copper alloy figurative pipe tamper, of Early Modern dating (Late 18th to Early 19th Centuries AD).The pipe tamper consists of a female figure, draped and wearing a helmet. Both hands are incomplete, but the left arm is pointing downwards, towards the floor, and the right is held up towards her head. The figure is standing on a little pedestal reel, which was used to tamp down the tobacco in the bowl of the pipe. The base of the tamper has been grooved to form a chequer board pattern.The tamper measures 71.24 mm in height, 23.56 mm wide and 13.46 mm thick. It weighs 24.8 grams.The tamper is a mid yellow brown colour, with an uneven surface patina. Abrasion, caused by movement whilst within in the plough soil, has resulted in a loss of some of the original surface detail.The female figure is meant to represent 'Britannia', the personification of Great Britain. She would have originally held a shield in her left hand, which would have been decorated with the stripes and colours of the British flag. In her right hand, she probably held a spear or a sword. A similar pipe tamper from Lancashire has been recorded as LANCUM-264376.
Original Image | Publisher: | http://finds.org.uk | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Identifier: | http://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/r... | Go to resource |
|
|