Rights Holder: West Yorkshire Archaeology Advisory Service
CC License:
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Unique ID: SWYOR-4BBAD6
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation
A copper alloy pipe tamper incorporating a signet ring which could have been used as a seal matrix and dating from the 17th century. It is 41.4mm long, 20.3mm wide and 12.6mm thick. It weighs 5.79gm. The finger ring element has a flat oval bezel with a crowned heart pierced by two crossed arrows as the device decorating it. The hoop is oval in section and at the apex of the reverse of the hoop, the piper tamper protrudes. The pipe tamper is integral to the hoop. The tamper is has a moulded collar at the junction with the hoop, is oval in section and expands slightly in width to an off-set wider terminal which is the pipe tamper element. A very similar example is WAW-416CA5. The two artefacts; finger ring and pipe tamper, were often combined in the 17th century, as apparently gentlemen would often loose their pipe tamper having had too much to drink. With such an artefact the user could wear his ring and conceal the tamper until needed! (SUSS-373EA5).
Class: seal
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Broad period: POST MEDIEVAL
Period from: POST MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 1600
Date to: Circa AD 1700
Quantity: 1
Length: 41.4 mm
Width: 20.3 mm
Thickness: 12.6 mm
Weight: 5.79 g
Date(s) of discovery: Tuesday 16th March 2010
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Other reference: PAS form number 1090
Primary material: Copper alloy
Manufacture method: Cast
Completeness: Complete
4 Figure: SD9767
Four figure Latitude: 54.098885
Four figure longitude: -2.047368
1:25K map: SD9767
1:10K map: SD96NE
Grid reference source: From a paper map
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 100 metre square.
No references cited so far.