Record ID: LON-E3F661 - EARLY MEDIEVAL needle holder

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NEEDLE HOLDER

Unique ID: LON-E3F661

Object type certainty: Certain

A resized image of A Roman or Medieval bone artefact.

A Roman - Early Medieval bone artefact probably a needlecase daring 4th - 5th century. This bone artefact has been worked to have four flat sides creating a square-shaped cross-section and it is hollow. It tapers from 6.36mm slightly to one end (5.58mm) and more so to the other end (4.17mm). There is wear and damage to both ends. All four sides are decorated with ring and dot motifs. Side one has four sets of three ring and dots arranged to form a trefoil. Side two has two ring and dot trefoils flanked by three ring and dots arranged in a line. Side three is a repeat of side one. Side four has four sets of three ring and dots arranged in lines.

Dr Ian Riddler identified this as a needlecase and writes "Not a common object type....but a very very interesting one. The closest parallels for it come from the Continent and are of 4th to 5th century date (mainly 5th century). These things are quite widespread in the north German cremation cemeteries of that date (like Westerwanna and Issendorf, for example) and they are thought to be needle cases. By rights, they ought to appear at Spong Hill, but they don't and they are very rare in this country."

Identification by Dr Ian Riddler, Small Finds Specialist, specialising in Roman artefacts and tools manufactured from bone.

Dimensions: length: 64.05mm; width: 6.36mm; weight: 2.57g.

This is a find of note and has been designated: National importance

Subsequent actions

Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder

Chronology

Broad period: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Period from: ROMAN [scope notes | view all attributed records]
Period to: EARLY MEDIEVAL [scope notes | view all attributed records]
Date from: Circa AD 300
Date to: Circa AD 500

Dimensions and weight

Length: 64.05 mm
Width: 6.36 mm
Weight: 2.57 g
Quantity: 1

Materials and construction

Primary material: Animal skeletal material [scope notes | view all attributed records]
Manufacture method: Hand made [scope notes | view all attributed records]
Decoration style: Geometric [scope notes | view all attributed records]
Completeness: Incomplete [scope notes | view all attributed records]

Spatial data

Region: South East And London
County: Greater London
District: Southwark
Parish: Southwark

Restricted 4 Figure grid reference: TQ3280
The map has been degraded and provides an approximate location with a degree of random obfuscation.
Grid reference source:
Grid reference accurate to a 10 metre square.

Method of discovery: Other chance find [scope notes]
General landuse: Open fresh water [scope notes]
Specific landuse: Running water [scope notes]

Personal details

Found by: This information is restricted for your login.
Recorded by: Mrs Kate Sumnall - [ view all attributed records]
Identified by: Ian Riddler - [view all attributed records]
Secondary identifier: Dr Steven Ashby - [view all attributed records]

Other reference numbers

References cited

No references cited so far.

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