Rights Holder: West Yorkshire Archaeology Advisory Service
CC License:
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Unique ID: SWYOR-D74157
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation
A lead alloy shield shaped or triangular trade weight dating from the Medieval period, about AD 1250 - 1500. The obverse has a recessed border, but any design in relief is worn flat. The reverse is flat, but is stamped with a circular mark which contains a double arched crown over the letters (R) S; the R is not clear. There is also a deep rectangular hole in the base of the crown. The weight is 31.3mm long, 25.8mm wide and 8.2mm thick.
With a mass of 55.36g (1.95oz) this was probably intended to be a 2 ounce weight in the mercentile or avoirdupois systems. See page 302 of Egan's The Medieval Household (2010). Biggs and Withers (2000, 36) mention that Medieval shield shaped weights are found with counterstamps from their continued use in the 17th, 18th and even 19th centuries. The weight has a well developed cream patina with some dents and scratches, some recent. Compare LEIC-AB2421 and FAKL-7E09C2 which are shield shaped weights with counterstamps.
Inscription:
RS
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Broad period: MEDIEVAL
Period from: MEDIEVAL
Period to: POST MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 1250
Date to: Circa AD 1900
Quantity: 1
Length: 31.3 mm
Width: 25.8 mm
Thickness: 8.2 mm
Weight: 55.36 g
Date(s) of discovery: Friday 16th June 2017 - Friday 16th June 2017
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Other reference: PAS form number 3039
Primary material: Lead Alloy
Manufacture method: Cast
Completeness: Complete
4 Figure: SE5838
Four figure Latitude: 53.83502743
Four figure longitude: -1.12015251
1:25K map: SE5838
1:10K map: SE53NE
Grid reference source: From finder
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 10 metre square.
Author | Publication Year | Title | Publication Place | Publisher | Pages | Reference | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Biggs, N. and Withers, P. | 2000 | Lead Weights: The David Rogers Collection | Powys | White House Publications | |||
Egan, G. | 1998 | The Medieval Household: Daily Living c.1150-c.1450 (Medieval Finds from Excavations in London) | London | The Stationery Office |