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WEIGHT
Unique ID: CORN-374412
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation 
Cast lead trade weight, ovate in plan, and sub-rectanular in profile and section. The central hole is ovate in plan and cylindrical in profile but irregular and measures 8 mm roughly in diameter. The hole is large and irregular so the object was more likely used as a weight rather than a whorl, as it would not have held the spindle or balanced well. It also has a flat base so it could have been used as a pan weight. The edge around the aperture is worn on both faces, which suggests it sat in a metal pan, and may have been perforated for suspension during transportation. The weight weighs 7.55 g which is equivalent to a little more than a quarter of an avoirdupois ounce.
Margeson (1993) illustrates a similar lead weight with a large hole of the same diameter on page 138, fig.103, no.938, which is dated from c.1500-1550.
Griffiths, Philpott & Egan (2007) illustrate a small weight of similar diameter with an irregular hole on page 179, plate 34, no.2202, which dates from the late Medieval period.
Bailey (2011) illustrates a similar irregular weight with a large hole on page 123, pic.17, which he suggests could have been used in conjunction with larger weights and is dated from the Medieval period.
Subsequent actions
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Chronology
Broad period: MEDIEVAL
Subperiod from: Late
Period from: MEDIEVAL
Subperiod to: Early
Period to: POST MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 1400
Date to: Circa AD 1600
Dimensions and weight
Quantity: 1
Height: 8.5 mm
Weight: 7.55 g
Diameter: 15.6 mm
Discovery dates
Date(s) of discovery: Saturday 19th December 2015 - Saturday 19th December 2015
Personal details
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Materials and construction
Primary material: Lead
Manufacture method: Cast
Completeness: Complete
Spatial metadata
Region: South West (European Region)County or Unitary authority: Cornwall (Unitary Authority)
District: Cornwall (Unitary Authority)
Parish or ward: Penzance (Civil Parish)
Spatial coordinates
4 Figure: SW4530
Four figure Latitude: 50.11518929
Four figure longitude: -5.56829676
1:25K map: SW4530
1:10K map: SW40NE
Grid reference source: From a paper map
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 100 metre square.
References cited
| Author | Publication Year | Title | Publication Place | Publisher | Pages | Reference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bailey, G. | 2011 | Detector Finds 7 | Witham | Greenlight Publishing | 123, pic.17 | ||
| Griffiths, D., Philpott. R. and Egan, G. | 2007 | Meols: The Archaeology of the North West Wirral Coast | Oxford | Oxford University School of Archaeology | 179, plate 34 | no.2202 | |
| Margeson, S. | 1993 | Norwich Households: Medieval and Post-Medieval Finds from Norwich Survey Excavations 1971-78 | Norwich | East Anglian Archaeology | 138, fig.103 | no.938 |
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Timeline of associated dates
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