SOM-A6D351: Post Medieval whirligig or buzz disc

Rights Holder: Somerset County Council
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TOY

Unique ID: SOM-A6D351

Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow status: Awaiting validation Find awaiting validation

A Post Medieval whirligig or buzz disc/wheel, which has been cut from lead sheeting. The buzz disc is a slightly irregular circle and has a notched (serrated) edge. There are three holes in a row in the centre through which a looped string or cord would have been threaded; each is worn to an oval shape but the central hole is smaller. The disk is 34.7mm in diameter, 2.7mm thick and weighs 20.24 grams. Several 'teeth' around the edge are bent or missing from the edge. It has a mid-grey to white patina.
A number of these toys are illustrated by Egan and Forsyth (2005: 387-391). The dating of these toys is uncertain as they were probably often home made but Egan and Forsyth (ibid) suggest a 17th - 18th century date and note one of these toys has come from an archaeological context dated 1675-1700.

Class: Buzz disc

Subsequent actions

Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder

Chronology

Broad period: POST MEDIEVAL
Period from: POST MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 1600
Date to: Circa AD 1800

Dimensions and weight

Quantity: 1
Thickness: 2.7 mm
Weight: 20.24 g
Diameter: 34.7 mm

Discovery dates

Date(s) of discovery: Friday 9th March 2012

Personal details

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Other reference numbers

Other reference: SCC reciept 20737

Materials and construction

Primary material: Lead Alloy
Completeness: Incomplete

Spatial metadata

Region: South West (European Region)
County or Unitary authority: Somerset (County)
District: Sedgemoor (District)
To be known as: Middlezoy

Spatial coordinates


Grid reference source: From a paper map
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 100 metre square.

Discovery metadata

Method of discovery: Metal detector
General landuse: Cultivated land

References cited

Author Publication Year Title Publication Place Publisher Pages Reference
Forsyth, H. with Egan, G. 2005 Toys, Trifles and Trinkets: Base Metal Miniatures from London 1200 to 1800 London Unicorn Press Ltd

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Timeline of associated dates

Audit data

Recording Institution: SOM
Created: 11 years ago
Updated: 11 years ago

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