Rights Holder: National Museums Liverpool
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Unique ID: LVPL-4D7B13
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Published
A copper alloy tap handle probably for a vessel of medieval to post-medieval date (c. 1350-1600 AD). The object consists of a finial in the form of a fleur-de-lis, above a hollow tapering cylindrical stem, pierced by a pair of opposed transverse holes to control the passage of liquid. The leaves or petals of the fleur-de-lis curl right round forming a perforation to each side, each measuring 6.12mm in diameter, and there is a groove dividing the base of the uppermost petal from each of the side petals; these grooves are more distinct on one face of the tap than the other. The uppermost petal is surmounted by a rounded knop with a diameter of 7.69mm. Traces of possible decoration are visible in the centre of on one face of the fleur-de-lis (the one with the less distinct grooves) but these may be the result of corrosion. A large rounded knop with a diameter of 10.52mm joins the finial to the cylindrical stem. The holes cut through to allow the passage of liquid differ in size, with the larger measuring 7.76mm in width while the smaller is 4.94mm wide. The object has a brownish green patina.
A tap of similar design has been recorded from a context of c. 1350-1400 AD in London (Egan 1998, 242, fig. 189, no. 746). Similar forms of taps may, however, have carried on into the early post-medieval period.
Dimensions: 59.27mm in length, 30.68mm in width, 12.69mm thick, 30.1g.
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Broad period: MEDIEVAL
Period from: MEDIEVAL
Period to: POST MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 1350
Date to: Circa AD 1600
Quantity: 1
Length: 59.27 mm
Width: 30.68 mm
Thickness: 12.69 mm
Weight: 30.1 g
Date(s) of discovery: Sunday 1st March 2015 - Friday 20th March 2015
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Grid reference source: From a paper map
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 100 metre square.
Author | Publication Year | Title | Publication Place | Publisher | Pages | Reference | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Egan, G. | 1998 | The Medieval Household: Daily Living c.1150-c.1450 (Medieval Finds from Excavations in London) | London | The Stationery Office |