Finds from the Well at St Paul-in-the-bail, Lincoln

by Mann, Jenny; Archibald, Marion; Egan, Geoff; Graves, Pam; Henderson, Julian

• ISBN13: 9781842172575
• ISBN10: 1842172573
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2008-11-30
• Publisher: David Brown Book Co

Summary

This report examines the finds from the 17th-century backfill of a well in the churchyard of St. Paul-in-the-Bail. Dug possibly as early as the 1st century, the well lay within the east range of the later forum, and may have been used subsequently as the baptistry of two successive early churches, built some time between the late 4th and 7th centuries. The history and use of the well is briefly outlined, with the focus of the volume on the finds. The assemblage from the 17th-century backfill represents the largest group of artefacts of this period to have been recovered in the city of Lincoln and contains a high proportion of organic material. The artefacts show a wide range in type and quality, including both common household articles and items indicating a relatively high social status. Selected finds are catalogued, primarily by function.

Table of Contents

Introduction	p. 1
The Well	p. 3
The Finds	p. 7
Introduction	p. 7
Personal ornament	p. 8
Costume and costume accessories
Textile fragments	p. 9
Metal costume accessories	p. 10
A wooden button with silk decoration	p. 11
Leather costume accessories	p. 11
Toilet articles
Ivory combs	p. 12
Wooden combs	p. 12
Leather shoes	p. 13
Building debris
Architectural fragments	p. 20
Window glass	p. 22
Window lead	p. 22
Metal fixtures and fittings	p. 22
Wooden fixtures and fittings	p. 26
Vessels
Ceramic vessels	p. 27
Glass vessels	p. 36
Metal vessel	p. 40
Wooden vessels	p. 40
Other household equipment
Cutlery	p. 51
Wooden spatula	p. 52
Sewing equipment and scissors	p. 52
Clay tobacco pipes	p. 54
Games
Leather balls	p. 57
Wooden gaming pieces	p. 59
Ceramic discs	p. 66
Bone/ivory dice	p. 66
Commerce, reading and writing
Coin and jeton	p. 66
Weighing, writing and record-keeping	p. 66
Wooden horn books and abacus beads	p. 67
Horse equipment
Metalwork	p. 68
Leather straps	p. 68
Military equipment
Armour and weapons	p. 70
Wooden powder holders	p. 72
Leather pistol holster	p. 72
Stone shot	p. 73
Tools and crafts
Iron tools	p. 73
Wooden tool and tool handles	p. 75
Metalworking	p. 75
Leatherworking	p. 75
Woodworking	p. 75
Miscellaneous
Metal	p. 76
Wood	p. 78
Leather	p. 78
Antler and bone	p. 78
Discussion	p. 79
Appendices
The pistol holster: a preliminary note	p. 93
Concordance of catalogued items by context	p. 96
Bibliography	p. 97
Index	p. 101
Table of Contents provided by Blackwell. All Rights Reserved.