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BUTTON
Unique ID: BH-DB3FC1
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation 
A Post Medieval copper-alloy enamelled button dating c. AD 1600-1700. The button consists of the upper domed head and the corresponding base plate. The domed head is convex with a small circular perforation (3.3mm diameter) in the centre. The surface is decorated with a ring of six bifid or heart shape cells round the perforation that contain white enamel. At their base are tweleve pellets surrounding the perforation. An outer ring of twelve oval, or sub-oval, cells arranged in conjoined pairs surround the white cells, all filled with blue enamel. These are aligned so that they bridge the gaps between the white cells. The edges of all the cells and the circular perforation are raised. Between each pair of blue cells is a v-shape groove with arms extending to the edge of the plate. The interior of the domed head has a bevelled lip but is otherwise plain with no decoration.
The base plate of the button is circular and bent concavely out of shape. At the centre is a sub-circular perforation (4.4mm diameter) and a smaller perforation either side (each 2.3mm diameter). Neither face is decorated.
The button measures 24.6mm diameter, 6.4mm high and weighs 9.85 grams.
See SWYOR-441571 and SWYOR-576585 for buttons of similar design but alternative enamel colouring recorded on the Portable Antiquities Scheme database.
Subsequent actions
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Chronology
Broad period: POST MEDIEVAL
Period from: POST MEDIEVAL
Period to: POST MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 1600
Date to: Circa AD 1700
Dimensions and weight
Quantity: 1
Height: 6.4 mm
Weight: 9.85 g
Diameter: 24.6 mm
Discovery dates
Date(s) of discovery: Thursday 20th April 2017 - Thursday 20th April 2017
Personal details
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Materials and construction
Primary material: Copper alloy
Secondary material: Enamel
Manufacture method: Cast
Decoration style: Floral
Completeness: Complete
Surface Treatment: Inlaid with enamel
Spatial metadata
Region: Eastern (European Region)County or Unitary authority: Hertfordshire (County)
District: North Hertfordshire (District)
Parish or ward: Barkway (Civil Parish)
Spatial coordinates
4 Figure: TL3833
Four figure Latitude: 51.9783341
Four figure longitude: 0.00784081
1:25K map: TL3833
1:10K map: TL33SE
Grid reference source: GPS (from the finder)
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 1 metre square.
References cited
No references cited so far.
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Timeline of associated dates
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