WEIGHT

Late Early Medieval to early Post Medieval, cast lead alloy or lead, weight. Probably a spindle whorl or net weight. It is decorated with raised rays and pellets on both faces.

In the "Finds Recording Guide", Geake (2001, p66) points out that: "The function of lead weights would have varied, from spindle-whorls to fishing weights to trade weights." She adds that spindle whorls should ideally be circular and must have a central perforation (ibid.). It is possible, therefore, that this lead weight is a spindle whorl. At the Austin Friary in Leicester (see Mellor and Pearce, 1981), a decorated whorl was found, still on its spindle, in a 13th to 15th century context. However, Geake (ibid.) states: "Dating of lead whorls is difficult. The drop spindle with which they were used continued in use until the end of the Medieval period in London and Winchester (Egan, 1998, "The Medieval Household: Daily Living c1150 - c1450", 255-261; and Biddle, 1990, "Object and Economy in Medieval Winchester"), and for perhaps a century longer in Norfolk (Margeson, 1993, "Norwich Households: Medieval and Post Medieval finds from Norwich Survey Excavations 1971 - 78",184-5)." She adds that, in Cottam in East Yorkshire, detectorists found decorated whorls in ploughsoil over the site of Roman buildings (Geake, ibid.). Without further context, is it not possible to closely date this lead weight. It could date to anytime between c1000 and c1600 AD.

The external diameter is 27mm, thickness 15mm, perforation diameter is 10mm, and the weight 41.25g.