Rights Holder: Sussex Archaeological Society
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NAIL
Unique ID: SUSS-875AD3
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation 
An incomplete cast copper alloy probably Post Medieval to early Modern nail, dating to c. AD 16th-20th centuries AD. The nail has a square, slightly domed head and a square-sectioned nail shaft, which has broken off at its end. Approximately 9 mm down from the top of the nail head, an admiralty broad arrow mark is incised into one side of the nail shaft. It measures 52.4 mm long, 15.2 mm by 15.6 mm (at head), 8.9 mm by 9.8 mm (at broken shaft-end) and weighs 45.1 grams.
The admiralty broad arrow mark indicates that this object was property of the military and similar markings are found on objects originating from shipwrecks (e.g. Mary Rose and Sirius shipwrecks) on items from bottles to nails, as well as larger parts of the ship hull. Numerous objects bearing this symbol of military issue are recorded from the 19th and 20th centuries as well. As such, a specific date is not known for this object, but a more general date is suggested based upon the condition of the nail.
Subsequent actions
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Chronology
Broad period: UNKNOWN
Period from: POST MEDIEVAL
Period to: MODERN
Dimensions and weight
Quantity: 1
Length: 52.4 mm
Weight: 45.1 g
Discovery dates
Date(s) of discovery: Thursday 1st August 2013
Personal details
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Materials and construction
Primary material: Copper alloy
Manufacture method: Cast
Completeness: Incomplete
Spatial metadata
Region: South East (European Region)County or Unitary authority: West Sussex (County)
District: Chichester (District)
Parish or ward: Funtington (Civil Parish)
Spatial coordinates
4 Figure: SU8307
Four figure Latitude: 50.85656754
Four figure longitude: -0.82217044
1:25K map: SU8307
1:10K map: SU80NW
Grid reference source: Centred on field
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 100 metre square.
References cited
No references cited so far.
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