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PURSE
Unique ID: SF-831B28
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation 
An incomplete cast copper-alloy purse bar dating to the late Medieval or early Post-Medieval period, c. 1450-1550, corresponding to Williams' type C1 (Ward Perkins type B1). The upper section of the loop and arms are missing in old breaks. The object consists a rectangular central block, decorated on one side with a single incised chevron and on its opposing face with two rather irregular saltires. The lateral edges of the block still retain the remnants of the integrally cast arms, while a central vertical perforation contains the swivelling oval loop, with a cylindrical knop at the base of its shank and moulded decoration at the bottom of the loop itself. Preserved in good condition with an even greenish patina, it survives to a length of 38.13mm, 20.16mm wide by 9.27mm thick at the central block, and weighs 15.49g.
Broadly similar purse bars are recorded on the PAS database as BH-B5946C and WMID-C39C3F. Objects of this form are generally assigned a late Medieval to early Post-Medieval date.
Class: Williams' type C1
Subsequent actions
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Chronology
Broad period: MEDIEVAL
Subperiod from: Late
Period from: MEDIEVAL
Subperiod to: Early
Period to: POST MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 1450
Date to: Circa AD 1550
Dimensions and weight
Quantity: 1
Length: 38.13 mm
Width: 20.16 mm
Thickness: 9.27 mm
Weight: 15.49 g
Discovery dates
Date(s) of discovery: Tuesday 1st May 2018
Personal details
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Materials and construction
Primary material: Copper alloy
Manufacture method: Cast
Completeness: Incomplete
Spatial metadata
Region: Eastern (European Region)County or Unitary authority: Suffolk (County)
District: St. Edmundsbury (District)
To be known as: Bury St Edmunds
Spatial coordinates
Grid reference source: Centred on field
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 100 metre square.
References cited
No references cited so far.
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Timeline of associated dates
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