IOW-56AFA5: Medieval or Post-Medieval Lead Pencil

Rights Holder: Isle of Wight Council
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PENCIL

Unique ID: IOW-56AFA5

Object type certainty: Probably
Workflow status: Published

A complete cast lead rod, probably a pencil. Medieval or Post Medieval (c. AD 1066 - c. AD 1650). Length 49.0mm, diameter 6.2mm. Weight 10.76g. This object is sub-circular in cross-section. One end is slightly pointed with a circular peforation to enable it to be suspended and the other end has a rounded point. The object is in fair condition and has a flaky grey patina. Dr Helen Geake of the Portable Antiquities Scheme has commented: "The use of lead pencils is still not really understood. At Winchester they are found mainly in 13th- or 14th-century contexts, and it was thought some years ago that when graphite was discovered in Cumbria in the late 16th century lead pencils went out of use; but metal-detector finds of well-made mass-produced pencils suggest that in fact they carried on being used well into the post-medieval period".

Find of note status

This has been noted as an interesting find by the recorder.

Subsequent actions

Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder

Chronology

Broad period: MEDIEVAL
Subperiod from: Early
Period from: MEDIEVAL
Subperiod to: Early
Period to: POST MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 1066
Date to: Circa AD 1650

Dimensions and weight

Quantity: 1
Length: 48 mm
Weight: 10.76 g
Diameter: 6.2 mm

Discovery dates

Date(s) of discovery: Sunday 11th March 2007

Personal details

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Other reference numbers

Other reference: IOW2007-1-121

Materials and construction

Primary material: Lead
Manufacture method: Cast
Completeness: Complete

Spatial metadata

Region: South East (European Region)
County or Unitary authority: Isle of Wight (Unitary Authority)
District: Isle of Wight (Unitary Authority)
To be known as: Isle of Wight

Spatial coordinates

Grid reference source: GPS (from the finder)
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 1 metre square.

Discovery metadata

Method of discovery: Metal detector
Discovery circumstances: Metal detecting rally
General landuse: Cultivated land
Specific landuse: Operations to a depth greater than 0.25m

References cited

No references cited so far.

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Timeline of associated dates

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Audit data

Recording Institution: IOW
Created: 17 years ago
Updated: 13 years ago

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