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PENCIL
Unique ID: NMS-B25A1E
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation 
Incomplete medieval to post-medieval writing lead, round-sectioned, straight-sided and with one end pointed and the other flattened with the terminal missing. Extant length 42mm. Diameter 5.2mm. 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.
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: 1
Length: 42 mm
Diameter: 5.2 mm
Discovery dates
Date(s) of discovery: Tuesday 15th March 2016 - Monday 11th April 2016
Personal details
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Other reference numbers
SMR reference number: 60939
Other reference: KLMD042016
Materials and construction
Primary material: Lead
Manufacture method: Cast
Completeness: Incomplete
Spatial metadata
Region: Eastern (European Region)County or Unitary authority: Norfolk (County)
District: King's Lynn and West Norfolk (District)
Parish or ward: Runcton Holme (Civil Parish)
Spatial coordinates
4 Figure: TF6209
Four figure Latitude: 52.65453077
Four figure longitude: 0.39353931
1:25K map: TF6209
1:10K map: TF60NW
Grid reference source: GPS (from the finder)
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 1 metre square.
References cited
No references cited so far.
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Timeline of associated dates
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