Rights Holder: Norfolk County Council
CC License: 
Image use policy
Our images can be used under a CC BY attribution licence (unless stated otherwise).
TUMBREL
Unique ID: NMS-DC44D6
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation 
Part of a medieval copper alloy tumbrel or coin balance, the balance arm missing. At the top of the hollow-backed vertical element there is a C-sectioned collared stylised acorn terminal, the cap with engraved oblique cross-hatching. Below this the object has right-angled sides and is decorated with transverse lines containing groups of longitudinal lines forming a checky-like pattern. Similar decoration is present on a thickened rectangular boss before the slot for the arm, which is broken across one of originally two perforations in which the missing arm would have pivoted on a copper alloy spindle. Surviving length 60mm. Width 9.5 mm. 6mm thick. Weighs 11.54g. c.1150-c.1250.
Tumbrels are not common finds. Most probably date to the 13th-15th century. Some have been found in 13th-century contexts (Rogers 1993), and a bone example from Castle Acre Castle was found in a context earlier than c.1175 (Margeson in Coad and Streeten 1982, 44-5). Copper alloy examples from Norfolk have been recorded in Haveringland (Norfolk Historic Environment Record no. 44066), Hellesdon (NHER 8106), Langley with Hardley (NHER 31397) and North Burlingham (NHER 54166).
Subsequent actions
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Chronology
Broad period: MEDIEVAL
Period from: MEDIEVAL
Period to: MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 1150
Date to: Circa AD 1250
Dimensions and weight
Quantity: 1
Length: 60 mm
Width: 9.5 mm
Thickness: 6 mm
Weight: 11.54 g
Discovery dates
Date(s) of discovery: Thursday 9th January 2014 - Wednesday 12th February 2014
Personal details
This information is restricted for your access level.
Other reference numbers
SMR reference number: 30401
Other reference: NMD022014
Materials and construction
Spatial metadata
Region: Eastern (European Region)County or Unitary authority: Norfolk (County)
District: Broadland (District)
Parish or ward: Postwick with Witton (Civil Parish)
Spatial coordinates
4 Figure: TG2907
Four figure Latitude: 52.61246286
Four figure longitude: 1.3810652
1:25K map: TG2907
1:10K map: TG20NE
Grid reference source: From finder
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 10 metre square.
References cited
| Author | Publication Year | Title | Publication Place | Publisher | Pages | Reference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rogers, D.J. | 1993 | Tumbrels | Finds Research Group 700-1700 Datasheet 16 |
Similar objects
Find number: NMS-C2EE50
Object type: TUMBREL
Broadperiod: MEDIEVAL
Part of a medieval copper alloy tumbrel or coin balance, the balance arm missing. At the top of the hollow-backed vertical element there is a…
Workflow: Awaiting validation
Find number: NMS-954380
Object type: TUMBREL
Broadperiod: MEDIEVAL
Part of a medieval copper alloy tumbrel or coin balance, with most of the balance arm missing. At the top of the hollow-backed vertical eleme…
Workflow: Awaiting validation
Find number: NMS-13CE41
Object type: BUTTON
Broadperiod: POST MEDIEVAL
Post-medieval copper alloy button with integral drilled loop. Sub-rectangular head of plano-convex section with moulded elaborate quatrefoil …
Workflow: Awaiting validation
Timeline of associated dates
About Us
About our Site
Find us
The British Museum, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG.
T: +44(0) 20 73238618