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Description: | Roman (mid 1st to 2nd centuries) bell: The copper alloy bell is a fragmentary conical which originally had a square section, but only one face is complete, with traces of two other faces. At the apex, on the exterior, there is an integral perforated sub-lozenge attachment loop which is sub-triangular in section. The exterior surface is a shiny mottled dark greeny brown colour with traces of a vertical casting seam and fine file marks. The interior surface is a shiny dark grey colour. At the apex, on the interior surface there is traces of iron corrosion, which originally would have been the clapper. The breaks of the bell are recent. The bell is 52.17mm long, 33.7mm wide, 20.14mm thick and weighs 17.9g.Hooley (2001,76) comments that these type of bells were found on both civilian and military Roman sites. A similar example can be seen in Crummy (1983), No.4168 where it is commented that these type of bells were attached to livestock and possibly pets. Another example from Usk (Webster; 1995,55, No. 3) is described as possibly being a tintinnabula 'to ward off evil spirits in both ritual and everyday contexts'. Webster (1995, 55) comments that these bells are frequently found on military sites and gives examples, dating the bells to the 1st to 2nd centuries. Other examples of a quadrangular bell are also recorded on the PAS database, such as: HAMP-ADCEE3, YORYM-A3A854, LIN-DF08E4, HESH-E4CF83 and NMGW-31F5C8.Crummy, N., 1983 Colchester Archaeological Report 2: The Roman Small Finds from Excavations in Colchester 1971-9. Colchester: Colchester Archaeological Trust.Hooley, D., 2001 'Copper Alloy and Silver Objects' in Anderson, A.S. et al The Romano-British 'Small Town' at Wanborough, Wiltshire Britannia Monograph Series No. 19, Society for the Promotion of Roman StudiesWebster, J. 'Bells' in Manning, W.H. 1995 Report on the Excavations at Usk 1965-1976: The Roman Small Finds University of Wales Press, Cardiff
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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