Rights Holder: The Portable Antiquities Scheme
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Unique ID: LVPL-935524
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Published
A silver Medieval toilet implement. The implement is a combined ear scoop and toothpick or nail cleaner made from sheet metal. The scoop consists of a twisted shaft with small spoon at one end and a flat plain shaft at the other end. The latter is bent into an S shape and the end has been broken, so that it is not clear whether this formed a toothpick or a nail cleaner, and may have terminated in a pointed tip.
Comparable PAS examples are 2011 T612, 2008 T240 and 2002 T268. Several similar scoops/picks have been found in London; see Egan and Pritchard, 'Dress Accessories', 1991, Numbers 1758-1760.
The implement dates from c.1300-c.1400.
Dimensions: length 68 mm, width of shaft (maximum) 6.21 mm, depth of shaft (maximum) 2.55 mm.
Notes:
The object has been straightened by the finder.
In terms of age and as the object contains a minimum of 10% precious metal it qualifies as Treasure under the stipulations of the Treasure Act 1996.
Current location of find: Acquired by The British Museum
Subsequent action after recording: Acquired by museum after being declared Treasure
Treasure case tracking number: 2013T41
Broad period: MEDIEVAL
Period from: MEDIEVAL
Period to: POST MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 1300
Date to: Circa AD 1400
Quantity: 1
Length: 68 mm
Width: 5.95 mm
Thickness: 2.55 mm
Weight: 3.3 g
Date(s) of discovery: Tuesday 20th November 2012
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Treasure case number: 2013T41
Primary material: Silver
Manufacture method: Cast
Completeness: Incomplete
Surface Treatment: Gilded
Grid reference source: From finder
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 1 metre square.
No references cited so far.