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PENCIL
Unique ID: NMS-7937F4
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation 
Two incomplete medieval to post-medieval writing leads, round-sectioned with flattened pierced proximal ends, one with the point missing (extant length 34mm), the other broken across the hole and missing its proximal end (extant length 35.6mm). Biddle 1990, 735-8 and 743-6, Class II. 12th - 16th century.
Writing leads like this follow the traditional shape of the earlier writing tablet styli, although it is unclear how effective a lead stylus would be for inscribing wax, and it seems more likely that they were used to make grey marks, as pencils. They are difficult to date as they have a long lifespan and examples of similar writing leads from Winchester ranged from 13th-15th century in date. However, it seems that some writing leads were also used in the post-medieval period and it is not inconceivable that this is later than medieval.
Field WYRD
Class: writing lead
Subsequent actions
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Chronology
Broad period: MEDIEVAL
Period from: MEDIEVAL
Period to: POST MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 1100
Date to: Circa AD 1600
Dimensions and weight
Quantity: 2
Discovery dates
Date(s) of discovery: Thursday 1st October 2015 - Saturday 31st October 2015
Personal details
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Other reference numbers
SMR reference number: 60250
Other reference: SET102015
Materials and construction
Primary material: Lead
Manufacture method: Cast
Completeness: Incomplete
Spatial metadata
County or Unitary authority: Norfolk (County)
District: South Norfolk (District)
Parish or ward: Wymondham (Civil Parish)
Spatial coordinates
4 Figure: TM1097
Four figure Latitude: 52.53036852
Four figure longitude: 1.09455645
1:25K map: TM1097
1:10K map: TM19NW
Grid reference source: Centred on field
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 10 metre square.
References cited
No references cited so far.
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Timeline of associated dates
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