VESSEL

A fragment of a copper-alloy vessel of medieval to Post-Medieval date, c.AD 1100 - 1850. The fragment is part of the leg and foot of a cooking vessel such as a cauldron or posnet.

The leg is broadly rectangular in plan with a D-shaped section. The reverse is concaved and the foot angled also with a concave base. A slight raised median spine is present on the front of the leg and three wide raised ridges decorated the foot. A transverse ridge at the junction between the leg and foot. These features give the impression of an animal foot.

The metal has a dark black/green patina and is worn. Blackened patches are present on all surfaces. The fragment is 58.1mm long, 36.5mm wide, 23.1mm thick and weighs 152g.

These objects are very common metal detector finds and are often found heavily worn and pitted as the metal content was high in lead which leached out over time (Butler, Green & Payne, p.4).

While it is not possible to allocate this fragment to a specific type it is likely to be from a large cooking vessel and dates from c.AD 1100 to c.AD 1850 when the use of cast iron cooking vessels predominates.

Ref: Butler, R., Green, C. and Payne, N. (2009). Cast Copper-Alloy Cooking Vessels (FRG Datasheet 41). Sleaford: The Finds Research Group AD 700-1700.