IOW-9245D4: Incomplete cast lead pilgrim ampulla of Medieval date, probably fourteenth or fifteenth century (AD 1300 – AD 1500).

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AMPULLA

Unique ID: IOW-9245D4

Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow status: Published

Incomplete cast lead pilgrim ampulla of Medieval date, probably fourteenth or fifteenth century (AD 1300 – AD 1500). Length 51mm, width 30mm and a maximum thickness of 9mm. Weight 51.72g. (includes soil within). The ampulla has been flattened and also twisted and both of the suspension loops are broken and missing. However, the stubs of these remain. The neck is relatively long and flares outwards and upwards towards the mouth. An attempt has been made to crimp the mouth in order to conserve the holy water. The body is roughly circular in plan and both faces appear to have been decorated. Due to corrosion it is difficult to determine the form of decoration. There is possibly a pointed petal flower motif on the obverse and the reverse has traces of cross-hatching. The reverse face has a central longitudinal fracture.

Notes:

Brian Spencer, formerly Senior Keeper at the Museum of London, who made a life-time study of ampullae, has written: Ampullae or miniature phials were an important kind of souvenir. Generally flask-shaped, but with a narrow, flattish section, they were designed to contain a dose of the thaumaturgic water that was dispensed to pilgrims at many shrines and holy wells. Ampullae were made of tin or lead or tin-lead alloy and were provided with a pair of handles or loops so that they could be suspended from a cord or chain around the wearer's neck. Coming into use in the last quarter of the twelfth century, they were, in England, almost the only kind of pilgrim souvenir to be had during the thirteenth century. They were nevertheless available at a number of shrines, and thanks to returning pilgrims or to local entrepreneurs, probably featured as secondary relics in virtually every thirteenth-century English parish church. Until the early fourteenth century, ampullae took various forms, were frequently inscribed and usually bore representations of the cult-figure or relic that they were intended to commemorate......Ampullae could be comfortably kept on the person or easily hung up in the home, or suspended , for the benefit of livestock, in the stable or cow shed or on the beehive. Ampullae were often donated to the neighbourhood, to be hung in the parish church. Almost as a matter of course, churches throughout thirteenth-century England secured possession of Canterbury ampullae containing what was perhaps the most famous of all elixirs, the water of St Thomas, tinged with the martyr's miracle-working blood (Spencer, B. 1990, 57-58). Examples of ampullae can be seen in Spencer, 1990, Salisbury & South Wiltshire Museum Medieval Catalogue Part 2. 57-62, figs. 170-189.

Subsequent actions

Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder

Chronology

Broad period: MEDIEVAL
Period from: MEDIEVAL
Period to: MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 1300
Date to: Circa AD 1500

Dimensions and weight

Quantity: 1
Length: 51 mm
Width: 30 mm
Thickness: 9 mm
Weight: 51.72 g

Discovery dates

Date(s) of discovery: Friday 25th March 2005

Personal details

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Other reference numbers

Other reference: IOW2005-82-3

Materials and construction

Primary material: Lead
Manufacture method: Cast
Completeness: Incomplete

Spatial metadata

Region: South East (European Region)
County or Unitary authority: Isle of Wight (Unitary Authority)
District: Isle of Wight (Unitary Authority)
To be known as: Calbourne Parish

Spatial coordinates

Grid reference source: From finder
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 10 metre square.

Discovery metadata

Method of discovery: Metal detector
Discovery circumstances: Metal detecting rally
General landuse: Cultivated land
Specific landuse: Operations to a depth greater than 0.25m

References cited

Author	Publication Year	Title	Publication Place	Publisher	Pages	Reference
Spencer, B.	1990	Salisbury Museum Medieval Catalogue: Part 2, Pilgrim souvenirs and secular badges	Salisbury	Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum	57-62, figs. 170-189

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Timeline of associated dates

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Audit data

Recording Institution: IOW
Created: 19 years ago
Updated: 13 years ago

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