THIMBLE

The object is an incomplete domed copper alloy thimble of Medieval date or 14th – 15th century. A similar example, to the recorded object can be seen in Holmes (Holmes, E. F. 1976. Thimbles. Macmillan: Dublin) which depicts a brass thimble from Winchester (see fig.15, b) there are however slight differences between the two which will be described below.

In profile the thimble has straight sides which taper inwards slightly to a domed top. In plan the rim of the object is sub-circular. Parts of the rim and sides are missing (not recent breaks) and show signs of active copper corrosion. The remainder of the rim is decorated with a single horizontal groove. The sides are crudely decorated with small; possibly hand punched indentations, laid out unevenly into roughly vertical rows. The top of the thimble is completely decorated by concentric rings of indentations. The execution of the indentations is both larger and neater on the top than on the sides. Perhaps a different method was used or possibly it may have been decorated by a different person. Unlike the illustrated example (fig 15, c) the recorded object does not have a whole in the top. The regularity in the shape of the object and the thickness in the walls, suggest that the recorded object was possibly cast. As Holmes points out, however, cast thimbles are very difficult to tell apart from stamped examples (Holmes E. F. 1991, p.1). Sewing Thimbles. Finds research group 700-1700: Datasheet 9). It is therefore difficult to say for certain how the object was made.

The object has a dark green brown patina and is missing portions of the rim and sides. Despite this damage however object is in fairly good condition. The length of the object is 16.6mm, the diameter is 17.7mm and the thickness is 1.3mm. The weight is 4.89g.