Rights Holder: North Lincolnshire Museum
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Unique ID: NLM-AB4764
Object type certainty: Possibly
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation
Lead possible weight. Cast plano-convex object with a central dimple on either side, more prominent - of length 6mm - on the flat side; possibly from an object inserted to remove the fresh-cast object from its open mould. Patinated and abraded. As a weight, the present mass might suggest this to have represented twelve Viking Age units of 4.43gms, also equal to 3 ora/ore, the contemporary version of the ounce. In more recent times it may have represented two [underweight] averdepois ounces. The possible loss of fabric to abrasion, however, could undermine such fine distinctions and must leave dating uncertain. Suggested date: Unknown, Early Medieval to Post-Medieval, 850-1700
Diameter (long axis): 30.9mm, Thickness: 11.8mm, Weight: 54.03gms
Notes:
The subject of Viking Age metrology is discussed for Flixborough, North Lincolnshire by Wastling 2009 (Wastling, L.M., 'Lead and lead alloy mensuration weights', in Evans, D.H. and Loveluck, C., Life and Economy at Early Flixborough c.AD600-1000, Excavations at Flixborough volume 2, Oxbow, Oxford and Oakville, pages 422-424). Wastling draws on Wallace 1987 for weights from Dublin using a module of 4.43gms (Wallace, P.F. 'The Economy and Commerce of Viking Age Dublin', in K. Duwel et al, Untersuchengen zu Handel und Verkher der vor- und fruhgeschichtlichen Zeit in Mittel- und Nordeuropoa, Teil IV. Der Handel der Karolingerund Wikingerzeit, Gottingen), and on Kruse (1988, 1992) for weights of a more general Scandinavian currency using a module of 4.07gms (Kruse, S. 1988, 'Ingots and Weights in Viking Age Silver Hoards', World Archaeology 20, 265-381; Kruse, S. 1992, 'Late Saxon Balances and Weights from England', Medieval Archaeology 36, 67-95). Kruse bases calculations on Nielsen 1983, on Hedeby, to arrive at the figure of 4.07gms (Nielsen, H-O, 1983, 'Rontgenologische und metrische Untersuchungen an zwei Kugel-Gewichtssatzen aus Haithabu', Berichte uber die Ausgrabungen in Haithabu 18, 109-120, Neumunster). These details were requested by Helen Geake, though this reporter regrets his lack of facility with the imposition of appropriate accents for the Continental sources cited by Wastling. These appear in their proper form in the bibliography of the Flixborough volume.
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Broad period: UNKNOWN
Subperiod from: Late
Period from: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Period to: POST MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 850
Date to: Circa AD 1700
Quantity: 1
Thickness: 11.8 mm
Weight: 54.03 g
Diameter: 30.9 mm
Date(s) of discovery: Sunday 4th August 2019
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Other reference: NLM43171
No spatial data available.
No references cited so far.