PAS: Review of Finds – w/e 26 March 2021
PAS: Finds Review - to 26 March 2021
Here is my pick of the finds recorded on the PAS database in the previous week. A total of 225 finds were recorded in the week to 26 March 2021.Â
Featured find
Steelyard
PAS ID: SF-877BAF
Found: Woodbridge, Suffolk in 2017
A Roman copper-alloy steelyard dating AD 43-410.
A steelyard was an uneven beam balance which first appeared over 5,000 years ago, long before Archimedes demonstrated the law of the lever theoretically in the 3rd Century BC.
The Latin name was statera but they later became known as steelyard after the name of the Hanseatic League trading base in 14th Century London.
As is common with detecting finds of these objects, it is incomplete. This a complete Roman steelyard from Pompeii.
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Finds
Click images to enlarge. All images are shared under CC Licence 4.0
Strap Union
PAS ID:Â NMS-7CE016
Found: Breckland, Norfolk in March 2021
An incomplete copper-alloy strap union dating from 100BC to 100AD. The piece is missing the bar from one side. An example of a complete union, of a similar type, is shown below:
Pilgrim Badge
PAS ID: GLO-A14B8D
Found: Cotswold, Gloucestershire in January 2021
A copper alloy pilgrims badge depicting the Annunciation, with Mary on the left and the Angel Gabriel on the right.Â
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Miniature Dagger
PAS ID: GLO-B588F2
Found: Wiltshire in December 2020
A Roman copper-alloy miniature sword, in the style of a Iron Age sword. It was probably a votive piece.
Brooch
PAS ID: SF-A0520C
Found: Suffolk in November 2017
An unusual Roman brooch dating from AD 200 – 300. Â