VESSEL

An incomplete cast copper alloy foot / leg from a copper alloy cooking vessel of Late Medieval to Early Post Medieval dating (1400 - 1700 AD).

The vessel fragment is sub rectangular in plan and square in cross section. It consists of a cuboid body, expanding outwards at the top into a flared, sloping sub rectangular surface. This area is likely to be the remnants of the junction between the leg and the body of the vessel. A small ridge is present at the junction on the exterior surface. An old break is present at the base.

It is a dark green colour. Areas of the original surface are covered by a black layer, probably the remnants of soot from being used in a hearth. This black layer is present on all four sides and the top. Signs of pitting and abrasion are present on all surfaces.

It measures 56.27mm in length, 30.99mm wide (at the plate end) and 11.30mm thick. It weighs 80.4 grams.

The remains of copper alloy cooking vessels have been regularly recorded through the PAS, with many variants on the design. This leg was probably originally part of a cauldron, suggestive by the ridge on the exterior, similar to the example illustrated in figure 1 of Butler, Green & Payne's 2009 datasheet on Cast Copper Alloy cooking vessels. These vessels tend to be of late Medieval to Early Post Medieval dating (15 to 18th Centuries AD).

Reference:

Butler, R., Green, C., and Payne, N. 2009 Cast Copper Alloy cooking vessels. The Finds Research Group Datasheet 41. Finds Research Group