STUD

A cast copper alloy Roman lock-pin, c.AD 43 - 410. The pin is derived from a small lock from a box or cupboard. The artefact comprises a circular head, decorated with two concentric rings, with a raised circular iron knop in the centre. Around the edge of the head there is wide, outward tapering rim, with an incised ring. The head measures 31.9mm in diameter. Below the head there is a collar, from which extends into a rectangular-sectioned iron shank (a continuation of the pin, seen in the head). The shaft is broken at the opposite end. The total length of the object is 82.9mm. The break is worn and irregular. The copper alloy is a mid greyish-green colour. A parallel can be seen in Crummy, p125, Fig: 137.

Bell-shaped studs are a multi-purpose form of artefact, commonly found on sites dating to the Roman period. The key difference from other Roman studs, nails and fittings is the circular countersunk or convex face, which usually has at its centre a boss or cone.

While their exact purpose is not fully understood, they are believed to have been used, for example, on furniture, doors, and caskets, such as the bronze box-plate from Walheim Germany (Allason-Jones and McKay 1985, 30). It is noted that unless found in-situ, or as part of a set, it is rarely possible to attribute the stud to a specific purpose (Allason-Jones 2011, 8-9). Often found in association with northern frontier forts, the studs are known to be in use from the 1st to 4th centuries AD.

Refs:

Allason-Jones, L. (2011) Artefacts in Roman Britain: Their Purpose and Use. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Allason-Jones, L. and McKay, B. (1985) Coventina's Well: A Shrine on Hadrian’s Wall. Trustees of the Clayton Collection Chesters Museum, Hexham.