Rights Holder: York Museums Trust
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Unique ID: YORYM-E091A8
Object type certainty: Possibly
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation
Three fragments of possible whetstones, dating to the period c.AD 43-1700. Fragments 1 and 2 are possibly from the same artefact. It is not possible to suggest a narrower date range, however it should be noted that these fragments are all from a site with known Early Medieval activity.
Fragment 1 is broadly trapezoidal in plan with a break along its narrowest and widest sides. This break extends into the body from the narrowest edge and therefore some of the surface is missing. The stone is buff in colour and Stuart Ogilvey (geologist) states that it is a fine grained, siliceous sandstone and it is from the same source as fragment 2. It measures 51.39mm in length, 53.60mm in width at its widest, 41.97mm in width at its narrowest, 22.33mm in thickness and weighs 86g.
Fragment 2 is broadly triangular in plan, with worn breaks at its upper and lower edges and partway down both sides. The stone is a buff in colour. Dark brown patches are present on one side and a thin crude cross is on the other side in the same dark brown. Stuart Ogilvey (geologist) states that it is a fine grained, siliceous sandstone and it is from the same source as fragment 1. It measures 45.33mm in length, 37.15mm in width at its widest, 10.99mm in thickness and weighs 27.28g.
Fragment 3 is rectangular in plan and rectangular in cross section with worn breaks at its upper and lower edges. The stone is cream with grey-brown striations within the stone. Stuart Ogilvey (geologist) states that it is a siliceous sandstone with larger grains and quartz inclusions. It measures 40.38mm in length, 19.90mm in width, 12.70mm in thickness and weighs 20.87g.
Stuart Ogilvy (geologist) has looked at these fragments and states that they all appear to have smoothed surfaces, and therefore have been worked. He also acknowledges that the sandstone from which they are made could be used to make whetstones. This in addition to each fragment having 4 smoothed sides and a rectangular cross section suggests that they are possibly fragments from whetstones. The finder notes that they may be made from schist, as the site has produced a number of metamorphic hones.
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Broad period: UNKNOWN
Period from: ROMAN
Period to: POST MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 43
Date to: Circa AD 1700
Quantity: 3
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Other reference: YMT:E04923
Grid reference source: From finder
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 100 metre square.
No references cited so far.