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BELL
Unique ID: DENO-5F1DD7
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation 
Early medieval Anglo-Scandinavian cast copper alloy hexagonal clapper bell, of the type often known as a 'Norse' bell. The bell is worn and incomplete; roughly 1/6th of the hexagonal wall of the bell is missing, and it is slightly squashed. Much of the rim is missing, but the bell is clearly conical with slightly convex sides, faceted hexagonally, and rising to a rectangular loop at the apex which is broken across the circular perforation. There is a small collar around the base of the loop. The clapper is missing, but there is a neat circular hole through the wall of the bell near the apex, presumably for attachment of the clapper. This is an unusual feature in this type of bell and presumably is a mend, drilled to replace a missing clapper.
Reddish-brown surface with a light green bloom. Length c.27mm, width (as squashed) 22.5mm, thickness (as squashed) 9.8mm, thickness of sheet c.0.8mm, weight 4.98g.
A similar hexagonal bell is published in Roesdahl (1992, 312-313 no.327c), from a 10th-century burial in Kornsa, Norway. Other similar bells come from Coppergate, York (Mainman and Rogers 2000, 2599) and Freswick, Scotland (Batey 1988 "A Viking bell from Freswick Links, Caithness" Med Arch 32). The Freswick bell has a similar collar around the loop. A detailed discussion of Norse bells can be found in Schoenfelder and Richards 2011, who date them broadly to the 10th century AD.
Notes:
WAITING FOR FINDSPOT INFO
Find of note status
This has been noted as an interesting find by the recorder.
Class:
Norse
Evidence of reuse: hole drilled to replace clapper
Chronology
Broad period: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Subperiod from: Late
Period from: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Subperiod to: Late
Period to: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Ascribed Culture:
Anglo-Scandinavian style
Date from: AD 900
Date to: AD 1000
Dimensions and weight
Quantity: 1
Length: 27 mm
Width: 22.5 mm
Thickness: 9.8 mm
Weight: 4.98 g
Discovery dates
Date(s) of discovery: Monday 1st September 2008
Personal details
This information is restricted for your access level.
Other reference numbers
Other reference: Derby E6168
Materials and construction
Spatial metadata
Region: East Midlands (European Region)County or Unitary authority: Derbyshire (County)
District: South Derbyshire (District)
To be known as: Ticknall
References cited
| Author | Publication Year | Title | Publication Place | Publisher | Pages | Reference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Batey, C. | 1988 | A Viking-Age Bell from Freswick Lincs, Caithness | London | Society for Medieval Archaeology | |||
| Roesdahl, E. | 1992 | Wikinger Waräger Normannen: Die Skandinavier und Europa 800-1200 | Mainz | SMPK | |||
| Schoenfelder, M. and Richards, J.D. | 2011 | Norse bells: a Scandinavian colonial artefact | Oxford | Oxford University School of Archaeology |
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Timeline of associated dates
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