Rights Holder: National Museums Liverpool
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Unique ID: LVPL-1B5301
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation
An incomplete whetstone, dating to the early Medieval to Medieval period (c.AD 700-1400). The object is broadly triangular in plan tapering in width from the sub-oval pierced end to a rounded point. The wider end or top of the object is pierced with a circular perforation measuring 5mm in diameter. This appears to have been drilled from each face. It is likely that this hone would have been suspended around the neck by means of the hole at one terminal.
A fragment of the stone has broken away in recent times at the holed terminal end. Thin horizontal striations or scratches are visible on each face of the object.
The stone is a hardstone which is black in colour and has no inclusions. It is a small hone for personal use and would be hung from the belt by the hole and carried regularly.
See KENT-CCE2E7 which states: Very similar examples are known from Viking York(AY17/14, e.g. 9329) from 9th to 11th century contexts, but the shape and size continues into the Medieval period, with examples illustrated from Winchester in Biddle (1990,nos 3034, 3035) coming from fourteenth century contexts and some from Salisbury (Drinkwater in Saunders 1991:172, fig 47, no. 19 and 20) dated to the 12th century. See SF-469FF2 and WAW-C6C886 on this database for similar examples.
Dimensions: 79mm in length, 20mm in width, 10mm thick, 23.35g
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Broad period: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Period from: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Period to: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 700
Date to: Circa AD 1400
Quantity: 1
Length: 79 mm
Width: 20 mm
Thickness: 10 mm
Weight: 23.35 g
Date(s) of discovery: Friday 1st July 2016 - Monday 19th September 2016
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Primary material: Stone
Manufacture method: Ground/polished
Completeness: Incomplete
Grid reference source: Centred on parish
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 1 metre square.
No references cited so far.