Rights Holder: North Lincolnshire Museum
CC License:
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Unique ID: NLM-1802C4
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation
Lead weight. Cast discoid plano-convex weight, probably cast in an open mould, patimated overall. The mass may suggest this weight observes the Viking Dublin module of 4.43gms for transactions involving silver bullion, and that it represents four (slightly overweight) such units. The duration of the use of this postulated system of measurement must be uncertain given the contested status of Lindsey through the 10th century, though the region was in the ambit of the Viking 'kingdom' of York and Dublin. A larger weight of similar form and suspected date was reported from the same location (NLM-17F496). Suggested date: Early Medieval, 850-950.
Diameter: 26.6mm, Thickness: 5.5mm, Weight: 18.46 gms
Notes:
The subject of Viking Age metrology is discussed for Flixborough, North Lincolnshire by Wastling 2009 (Wastling, L.M., 'Lead and lead alloy mensuration weights', in Evans, D.H. and Loveluck, C., Life and Economy at Early Flixborough c.AD600-1000, Excavations at Flixborough volume 2, Oxbow, Oxford and Oakville, pages 422-424). Wastling draws on Wallace 1987 for weights from Dublin using a module of 4.43gms (Wallace, P.F. 'The Economy and Commerce of Viking Age Dublin', in K. Duwel et al, Untersuchengen zu Handel und Verkher der vor- und fruhgeschichtlichen Zeit in Mittel- und Nordeuropoa, Teil IV. Der Handel der Karolingerund Wikingerzeit, Gottingen), and on Kruse (1988, 1992) for weights of a more general Scandinavian currency using a module of 4.07gms (Kruse, S. 1988, 'Ingots and Weights in Viking Age Silver Hoards', World Archaeology 20, 265-381; Kruse, S. 1992, 'Late Saxon Balances and Weights from England', Medieval Archaeology 36, 67-95). Kruse bases calculations on Nielsen 1983, on Hedeby, to arrive at the figure of 4.07gms (Nielsen, H-O, 1983, 'Rontgenologische und metrische Untersuchungen an zwei Kugel-Gewichtssatzen aus Haithabu', Berichte uber die Ausgrabungen in Haithabu 18, 109-120, Neumunster). These details were requested by Helen Geake, though this reporter regrets his lack of facility with the imposition of appropriate accents for the Continental sources cited by Wastling. These appear in their proper form in the bibliography of the Flixborough volume.
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Broad period: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Subperiod from: Late
Period from: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Subperiod to: Late
Period to: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Ascribed Culture:
Viking style
Date from: Circa AD 850
Date to: Circa AD 950
Quantity: 1
Thickness: 5.5 mm
Weight: 18.46 g
Diameter: 26.6 mm
Date(s) of discovery: Tuesday 2nd September 2014
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Other reference: NLM27302
Primary material: Lead
Manufacture method: Cast
Completeness: Complete
Grid reference source: Centred on field
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 100 metre square.
No references cited so far.