Rights Holder: Durham County Council
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MOUNT
Unique ID: DUR-23FA39
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation 
An incomplete copper alloy plaque, or possible mount, from the Post Medieval period, AD1865-1900.
The object consists of a straight sided, round top and bottom, with a beaded borde. Within this is a circular belt with the inscription 'LAYING THE ATLANTIC CABLE'. This surrounds a picture of a 19th century six masted paddle and sail vessel at sea, with a small tender in front.The reverse of the plaque is not decorated but shows some of the image from the obverse.There is some corrosion on both faces and there are small pieces broken off at several places around the edge. There are two small perforations in the surface caused by wear or damage. It is not known what the exact purpose of this object was, possibly a mount or belt buckle.The general patina of the object is of a dark brown and green colour and there is some evidence it may have been gilded.
The larger vessel is an image of the SS Great Eastern which was converted in 1865 for cable laying duties and went on to lay almost 5,000km of cable between 1865 and 1878.
Height: 50.2mm
Width: 50.21mm
Thickness: 1.05mm
Weight: 4.9g
Subsequent actions
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Chronology
Broad period: POST MEDIEVAL
Period from: POST MEDIEVAL
Period to: POST MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 1858
Date to: Circa AD 1900
Dimensions and weight
Quantity: 1
Height: 50.2 mm
Width: 50.21 mm
Thickness: 1.05 mm
Weight: 4.9 g
Personal details
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Materials and construction
Spatial metadata
Region: North East (European Region)County or Unitary authority: County Durham (Unitary Authority)
District: County Durham (Unitary Authority)
Parish or ward: Great Aycliffe (Civil Parish)
Spatial coordinates
4 Figure: NZ2721
Four figure Latitude: 54.58348542
Four figure longitude: -1.58375971
1:25K map: NZ2721
1:10K map: NZ22SE
Grid reference source: From finder
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 1 metre square.
References cited
No references cited so far.
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Timeline of associated dates
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