Rights Holder: The Portable Antiquities Scheme
CC License:
Our images can be used under a CC BY attribution licence (unless stated otherwise).
Unique ID: IOW-AF488A
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation
A fragment of a Medieval to post-Medieval copper-alloy purse bar (c. 1450-c. 1550).
The fragment comprises less than half of the complete bar. The central block and one complete arm are missing. It has an arm, oval in cross-section (c. 8.1 x c. 6.4mm) with an integral attachment plate on the underside which has two attachment holes (one is incomplete). These holes were for attaching the fabric part of the purse to the bar. At the complete narrowed end there is separate drum-shaped terminal, circular in cross-section and 8.8mm in diameter. The bar passes through the terminal and is burred over at the end to secure it in place. The narrowed part of the bar forms a recess around which the frame fitted. The arm has decorative criss-cross grooves which were probably filled with niello. However, none is present.
This fragment has a green patina and the break is old.
Length: 40.6mm; width: 11.6mm; thickness: 8.8mm. Weight: 12.86g.
The purse bar is of Ward Perkins Type A1 or A2 (1940: 164-165), dated c. 1475-c. 1550.
Ward-Perkins, J.B. 1940. London Museum Medieval Catalogue. London: HMSO.
Class:
bar
Sub class: Williams Class A1
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Broad period: POST MEDIEVAL
Period from: MEDIEVAL
Subperiod to: Early
Period to: POST MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 1475
Date to: Circa AD 1550
Quantity: 1
Length: 40.6 mm
Width: 11.6 mm
Thickness: 8.8 mm
Weight: 12.86 g
Date(s) of discovery: Monday 30th March 2015 - Monday 30th March 2015
This information is restricted for your access level.
Other reference: IOW2015-3-56
Grid reference source: GPS (from the finder)
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 1 metre square.
No references cited so far.