Rights Holder: West Yorkshire Archaeology Advisory Service
CC License:
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Unique ID: SWYOR-1CD230
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation
A copper alloy centre looped, zoomorphic cosmetic mortar of Type F (Jackson, 2010, p 7) with bovid terminals and a relief moulded bow, dating from 100 BC - AD 300.
The mortar is heavy and ornate. The bow walls are sharply carinated; their upper section is near vertical and the lower section slopes inwards. The walls are decorated with a central raised rib enhanced with incised lines dividing the rib into a central section flanked by narrower panels. There are two further similar ribs, one each side placed centrally between the centre rib and the terminals. The ribs continue over the upper and lower sections of wall. The rounded V sectioned groove is 5.27mm deep in the centre. It is worn with longitudinal striations. The terminals are strongly moulded bovine heads with stylised muzzles and horns that curve forwards and in (the tips are damaged). There is no appreciable difference between the two heads. Other examples (such as Jackson number 53) have different bovid heads perhaps representing a bull and a cow. The loop is only half complete. It is circular and the base is integrated with the central rib moulding. The mortar has a dark grey surface and where this is missing, the metal has a grey green patina. The breaks are also patinated.
Cosmetic sets are a particularly British object type and were in use before the Roman invasion. They date from 100 BC - AD 300, but the heyday of their use was the late 1st - 2nd century AD.
This is a find of note and has been designated: Potential for inclusion in Britannia
Class:
centre looped; zoomorphic
Sub class: Type F
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Broad period: ROMAN
Period from: ROMAN
Period to: ROMAN
Date from: Circa AD 50
Date to: Circa AD 150
Quantity: 1
Length: 67.9 mm
Width: 28 mm
Thickness: 8.92 mm
Weight: 23.69 g
Date(s) of discovery: Tuesday 27th November 2012 - Tuesday 26th November 2013
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Other reference: PAS form number 2126
Primary material: Copper alloy
Manufacture method: Cast
Decoration style: Zoomorphic
Completeness: Incomplete
4 Figure: SP9457
Four figure Latitude: 52.20322261
Four figure longitude: -0.62593516
1:25K map: SP9457
1:10K map: SP95NW
Grid reference source: From finder
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 10 metre square.
No references cited so far.