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COSMETIC MORTAR
Unique ID: HAMP-C29105
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation 
A broken cast copper-alloy cosmetic end-looped mortar. The circular loop is integral beneath the surviving terminal. The loop is plain and of solid construction (Dia.: c. 14.5mm). The perforation is not quite even (Dia.: c. 7.1mm). The bow is 'U' shaped in cross-section, the groove expanding in width and depth as the bow expands from the terminal. One side of the bow is clearly higher than the other (c. 7.0mm - c. 6.1mm). The break across the bow is old. Wear and corrosion is even across the artefact which is mid-light green in colour. This means that definitive observations cannot be made about particular areas of wear. Such objects can be dated to the late Iron Age to early Roman periods (1st-2nd century AD). These mortar and pestle sets would probably have been used to grind minerals for make-up and were uniquely British. Further information can be found in Jackson 1985.
Class: end-looped
Chronology
Broad period: IRON AGE
Subperiod from: Late
Period from: IRON AGE
Period to: ROMAN
Date from: Circa AD 1
Date to: Circa AD 200
Dimensions and weight
Quantity: 1
Length: 38.1 mm
Width: 9.15 mm
Weight: 10.25 g
Discovery dates
Date(s) of discovery: Saturday 8th March 2008
Personal details
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Other reference numbers
Other reference: E2379
Materials and construction
Primary material: Copper alloy
Manufacture method: Cast
Completeness: Incomplete
Spatial metadata
Region: South East (European Region)County or Unitary authority: Hampshire (County)
District: East Hampshire (District)
Parish or ward: Ropley (Civil Parish)
Spatial coordinates
4 Figure: SU6434
Four figure Latitude: 51.101739
Four figure longitude: -1.08732
1:25K map: SU6434
1:10K map: SU63SW
Grid reference source: From a paper map
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 100 metre square.
References cited
| Author | Publication Year | Title | Publication Place | Publisher | Pages | Reference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson, R. | 1985 | Cosmetic sets from late Iron Age and Roman Britain | London | Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies |
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Timeline of associated dates
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