VESSEL

An incomplete copper alloy foot / leg from a copper alloy cooking vessel of Late Medieval to Early Post Medieval dating (AD 1400 - AD 1700).

The vessel fragment is sub rectangular in plan and sub rectangular in cross section. The foot/leg is curved. It consists of a cuboid body, with a ridge running vertically down the exterior surface. Both the top and bottom have been broken at an angle and exhibits a rough, uneven surface. The base is flat, with an rough surface. Soot or charcoal deposits are present on all surfaces.

The foot / leg measures 41.6 mm in length, 44.0 mm wide and 22.3 mm thick. It weighs 121.7 grams.

The foot / leg is mid to dark green colour, with an uneven surface patina. Abrasion, caused by movement whilst within the plough soil, has resulted in a loss of some of the original surface detail.

The remains of copper alloy cooking vessels have been regularly recorded through the PAS, with many variants on the design. This leg was probably originally part of a cauldron, suggestive by the ridge on the exterior, similar to the example illustrated in figure 1 of Butler, Green & Payne's 2009 datasheet on Cast Copper Alloy cooking vessels. These cast copper alloy vessels tend to be of late Medieval to Early Post Medieval dating (15th to 17th Centuries AD).

Reference:

Butler, R., Green, C., and Payne, N. 2009 Cast Copper Alloy cooking vessels. The Finds Research Group Datasheet 41. Finds Research Group