PAS Finds

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. 

Featured find

Steelyard

Roman Steelyard
Photo: Suffolk County Council, CC BY SA4.0

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.

Photo: Claus Ableiter, CC BY-SA 3.0

As is common with detecting finds of these objects, it is incomplete. This a complete Roman steelyard from Pompeii.

 

Finds

Click images to enlarge. All images are shared under CC Licence 4.0

Strap Union

Strap Union
Photo: Garry Crace

PAS ID:  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:

Photo: Colchester and Ipswich Museum Service

Pilgrim Badge

Photo: Bristol City Council

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. 

 

Miniature Dagger

Photo: Bristol City Council

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

Photo: PAS

PAS ID: SF-A0520C

Found: Suffolk in November 2017

An unusual Roman brooch dating from AD 200 – 300.  

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