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WEIGHT
Unique ID: YORYM-E70760
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation 
A lead-alloy trade weight of medieval to post-medieval date. The weight is shield shaped and is very worn. Although evidence of decoration is visible on one surface the design cannot be determined. There are linear incisions on the reverse of the weight, and indentations all over, probably as a result of use.
The metal is a light grey colour. The object is 35.75mm in length, 29.43mm wide, 6.70mm thick and weighs 47.44g.
Lead weights have been used in trade since the Roman period and were used for weighing quantities of coins as well as goods. Shield-shaped weights are a distinctive group of trade weights which are used from c.AD 1380 and continue into the 15th century. Biggs & Withers (2000, p.34) discuss the difficulties in dating shield weights as links between documentary evidence and artefactual evidence are difficult to establish. Their longevity coupled with various qualities of workmanship and numerous designs employed over a long period of time also make dating difficult. It is likely however that some belong to the period following the conversion of the trade pound under the averdepois system and as such it is likely that these weights represent a desire to standardize the trade weight system.
There are many similar weights on the database including: WILT-95CCEC, YORYM-0C0195, and YORYM-793E8C.
Class: Trade
Subsequent actions
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Chronology
Broad period: MEDIEVAL
Period from: MEDIEVAL
Period to: POST MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 1380
Date to: Circa AD 1600
Dimensions and weight
Quantity: 1
Length: 35.75 mm
Width: 29.43 mm
Thickness: 6.7 mm
Weight: 47.44 g
Discovery dates
Date(s) of discovery: Tuesday 1st September 2015 - Wednesday 30th September 2015
Personal details
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Other reference numbers
Other reference: YMT : E04597
Materials and construction
Spatial metadata
Region: Yorkshire and the Humber (European Region)County or Unitary authority: York (Unitary Authority)
District: York (Unitary Authority)
Parish or ward: Acaster Malbis (Civil Parish)
Spatial coordinates
4 Figure: SE5944
Four figure Latitude: 53.88883564
Four figure longitude: -1.1038079
1:25K map: SE5944
1:10K map: SE54SE
Grid reference source: GPS (from the finder)
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 10 metre square.
References cited
| Author | Publication Year | Title | Publication Place | Publisher | Pages | Reference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biggs, N. and Withers, P. | 2000 | Lead Weights: The David Rogers Collection | Powys | White House Publications |
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Timeline of associated dates
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