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CANDLE HOLDER
Unique ID: LON-C01992
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation 
A medieval copper alloy candle holder, dating to the late 14th century. The object is bell shaped, with a circular opening, tapering to a moulded globular terminus. There appears to be a rivet in the base of the terminus which may have formed the prong to hold the candle. A more elaborate example can be found in Read (2001, no. 895) with a human head instead of a globular terminus. This has been identified as a candle holder though the head would have been upside down if this were the case. Other examples in Read (ibid. nos. 897-899) show detachable candle holders that were connected to extendable arms, though none exactly match this example. It may also have been part of a hanging lamp, as seen in examples from Egan (1998, pp.130-133), slotting into one of the openings. The examples in Egan are even earlier (12th-14th century AD).
Dimensions: length: 40.46 mm; diameter: 18.17 mm; weight: 22.28g.
Reference: Read, B. 2001. Metal Artefacts of Antiquity. Portcullis Publishing, Langport, Somerset.
Egan, G. 1998 The Medieval Household - Medieval finds from excavations in London. HMSO. London
Subsequent actions
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Chronology
Broad period: MEDIEVAL
Period from: MEDIEVAL
Period to: MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 1300
Date to: Circa AD 1400
Dimensions and weight
Quantity: 1
Length: 40.46 mm
Weight: 22.28 g
Diameter: 8.17 mm
Personal details
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Materials and construction
Primary material: Copper alloy
Manufacture method: Hand made
Completeness: Complete
Spatial metadata
Region: London (European Region)County or Unitary authority: Greater London Authority (Greater London Authority)
District: City of Westminster (London Borough)
Parish or ward: St. James's (London Borough Ward)
Spatial coordinates
4 Figure: TQ3079
Four figure Latitude: 51.49500418
Four figure longitude: -0.12872211
1:25K map: TQ3079
1:10K map: TQ37NW
Grid reference source: Generated from computer mapping software
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 10 metre square.
References cited
No references cited so far.
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Timeline of associated dates
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