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Ceramic Object Assessment

Cecily Spall

introduction | catalogue | assessment

1.0 INTRODUCTION

An assemblage of ceramic objects was submitted for identification and assessment and was dateable to the Anglian to medieval period.

2.0 CATALOGUE

Spindlewhorls

Find No 2830 F13 C1065
Fragment of decorated clay spindlewhorl. Decoration consists of faint interrupted chevron or herringbone design on upper side of whorl. 35mm diameter x 15.5mm thick. Damaged and abraded.

Find No 282 F246 C1543
Near-complete decorated clay spindlewhorl. Decoration consists of incised concentric bands around circumference on upper and lower sides of whorl. 44mm diameter x 16.5mm thick. Damaged

Loom weights

Find No 2811 F442 C2011
Two conjoining pieces of bun-shaped loom weight. Approximate diameter 106mm x 34mm thick.

Find No 2820 F442 C2004
Fragment of bun-shaped loom weight. Reduced black fabric. 40mm thick.

Find No 6172 F227 C1495
Fragment of bun-shaped loom weight. No measurable dimensions.

Find No 2814 F442 C2004
Fragment of bun-shaped loom weight. Approximate diameter 95mm x 29.5mm thick.

Find No 2834 U/S
Fragment of bun-shaped loom weight. Reduced black fabric, almost certainly part of Find No 2820. 41.5mm thick.

Find No 2831 F13 C1148
Small fragment of bun-shaped loom weight. No measurable dimensions.

Find No 6128 F13 C1062
Small fragment of bun-shaped loom weight. No measurable dimensions.

Find No 4400 F226 C1492
Two fragments of bun-shaped loom weight. Fragment 1 33mm thick, Fragment 2 no measurable dimensions. Very similar fabric, possibly from same weight.

Find No 6127 C1252
Small fragment of bun-shaped loom weight. Abraded, no measurable dimensions.

Find No 6164 C1433
Small fragment of bun-shaped loom weight. No measurable dimensions.

Find No 2827 F351 C1763
Small fragment of bun-shaped loom weight. 30mm thick.

Find No 2822 F353 C1449
Near-complete bun-shaped loom weight. 81 x 70 x 32.5mm thick.

Find No 2806 F241 C1516
Three fragments of soft-fired bun-shaped loom weight. No measurable dimensions.

Find No 2807 F241 C1518
Fragment of bun-shaped loom weight. 39mm thick.

Find No 4397 F381 C1851
Fragment of bun-shaped loom weight. No measurable dimensions.

Find No 6160 F381 C2063
Fragment of bun-shaped loom weight. No measurable dimensions.

Find No 6261 F241 C1529
Three fragments of bun-shaped loom weight. No measurable dimensions.

Find No 6260 F241 C1526
Fragment of bun-shaped loom weight. No measurable dimensions.

Find No 6129 F241 C1517
Three fragments of bun-shaped loom weight. No measurable dimensions.

Find No 4398 F241 C1526
Fragment of loom weight. No measurable dimensions.

Find No 2818 F225 C1494
Complete bun-shaped loom weight. 103mm diameter, 32mm thick, weight 347.3g

Find No 2817 F225 C1494
Near-complete bun-shaped loom weight, underside missing, apparently deliberate niche for warp string on ring. 99.5mm diameter.

Find No 2808 F225 C1493
Fragment of bun-shaped loom weight. 100mm diameter, 29mm thick

Find No 2809 F225 C1493
Two fragments of bun-shaped loom weight. Fragment 1, 30.5mm oxidised and soft in places, Fragment 2 33mm thick, reduced in places, possible stabbed decoration on upper side. Represent two different weights.

Find No 2826 F225 C1493
Fragment of bun-shaped loom weight, apparently deliberate niche for warp string on ring. 35mm thick.

Find No 2816 F225 C1493
52 fragments of ?bun-shaped loom weight. Two fragments with stabbed decoration and incised lines on ring, probably from same weight. One fragment with measurable thickness 36mm.

Find No 2823 F225 C1493
Three conjoining fragments of bun-shaped loom weight. Possibly deliberate fingertip decoration. Conjoins with Find No 2826. Approximate measurements of Find No 2823 and 2826, 89mm diameter, 34mm thick.

Find No 2815 F255 C1494
12 conjoining pieces of bun-shaped loom weight forming near-complete piece. Approximate 95mm diameter x 31mm thick.

Find No 2805 F225 C1491
41 fragments of bun-shaped loom weight. One large fragment conjoins with oxidised soft-fired fragment from Find No 2089, 37mm. Second fragment with measurable thickness 32mm.

Find No 2813 F225 C1494
Nine fragments of bun-shaped loom weight. Two fragments with stabbed decoration on upper side conjoin, 92mm diameter, 28.5mm thick. A further decorated fragment with stabbed decoration underside missing, 98mm diameter. Seven fragments of undecorated weights are present, none conjoin, measurable thicknesses 34mm, 33.5mm, 41mm.

Find No 2819 F225 C1494
Five fragments of bun-shaped loom weight. One fragment conjoins with fragment from Find No 2183.

Find No2824 F225 C1493
Fragment of bun-shaped loom weight. Possibly deliberate fingertip decoration cf Find No 2823. 34.5mm thick

Find No 2825 F225 C1493
Fragment of bun-shaped loom weight, oxidised. 43mm thick.

Find No 2835 F225 C1494
Fragment of bun-shaped loom weight with stabbed decoration on upper surface. 31mm thick. Does not conjoin with other decorated loom weights.

Find No 2829 F225 C1494
Eight conjoining fragments of bun-shaped loom weight with possible stabbed decoration on upper surface. 30mm thick.

Find No 4401 F225 C1491
Fragment of bun-shaped loom weight. No measurable dimensions.

Find No 6167 F225 C1494
Three fragments of loom weight. No measurable dimensions.

Find No 6163 F225 C1494
Four fragments of bun-shaped loom weight. No measurable dimensions.

Find No 4399 F225 C1494
Four fragments of bun-shaped loom weight. One fragment with possible incised line decoration on ring. 30mm thick.

Find No 2810 F225 C1493
Four fragments of bun-shaped loom weight. Two fragments have possible incised line decoration on ring, one also has stabbed decoration, probably from same weight. No measurable dimensions.

Find No 6073 F225 C1494
117 tiny fragments of probable bun-shaped loom weight from flotation residue. No measurable dimensions.

Miscellaneous

Find No 2837 F353 C1449
Possible unfired clay oil lamp. Very friable and fragmentary. Approximate dimensions 110mm diameter x 39mm thick, central depression 49mm diameter, 11mm deep.

3.0 ASSESSMENT

The assemblage of clay objects was dominated by the presence of annular loom weights. A possible unfired-clay oil lamp and two clay spindlewhorls were also identified. The minimum number of annular loom weights identified during assessment is 53, with only one bun-shaped weight from F353. The number of annular weights is comparatively high when the total number of fragments (11) recovered from 46-54 Fishergate is considered. Even by comparison with Coppergate, where a total number of 33 loom weights were recovered, and which was larger in area and volume, and much more intensively occupied, the numbers appear greater. Excluding the presence of the bonfire kiln which represents 35 of the total loom weights, the remaining weights (19) still represent more than the previous excavations at Fishergate. Two decorated clay spindlewhorls are more evidence of textile-working taking place within the area of excavation. It is likely that a more definite total of loom weights could be reached by attempting to find more conjoining fragments, nevertheless the number of weights is significant.

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