WEIGHT

A complete lead trade weight of medieval to post-medieval date, C.AD 1380 - 1600. The weight is shield shaped with a worn moulded relief design of a crude cross on the upper surface. The reverse is flat and undecorated though showing damage from its deposition.

The metal has a light brown/white patina and is worn. The weight is 68.4mm long, 48.3mm wide, 15.9mm thick and weighs 249g. With a mass of 249g (8.78 oz imperial) this was probably intended to be a 8oz weight in the avoirdupois system with 16oz in the pound.

Lead weights have been used in trade since the Roman period and were used for weighing quantities of coin 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.