Rights Holder: York Museums Trust
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Unique ID: YORYM-0884DD
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation
A complete glass melon bead of uncertain date. The bead is circular in plan with a central circular perforation. Thirteen longitudinal grooves in the side form a series of regular lobes. Irregular curved grooves are visible around the central circular perforation at both ends. The glass is blue in colour.
The bead is 12.9mm in diameter, 7.4mm thick and weighs 1.1g. The perforation is 6.1mm in diameter.
Glass beads are very difficult to date with any certainty. Several similar beads have been recorded on the PAS database including YORYM-8D5E3B, KENT-0F91BC, and DEV-122236 with a range of dates. Glass beads, particularly melon beads, are often thought to be Roman in date though blue glass beads were commonly used in spangles on lace making bobbins in the 19th century. Due to a lack of contextual evidence and any diagnostic features it is not possible to date this object any more closely and it could be Iron Age through to modern in date.
The bead was found close to two other beads, recorded on the database as YORYM-08C874 and YORYM-091785.
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Broad period: UNKNOWN
Period from: IRON AGE
Period to: MODERN
Date from: Circa AD 1
Date to: Circa AD 1900
Quantity: 1
Thickness: 7.4 mm
Weight: 2.8 g
Diameter: 12.9 mm
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Other reference: YMT : E05969
4 Figure: SE7525
Four figure Latitude: 53.71603498
Four figure longitude: -0.8650368
1:25K map: SE7525
1:10K map: SE72NE
Grid reference source: Generated from computer mapping software
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 100 metre square.
No references cited so far.