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File:Medieval, Ampulla (FindID 813543).jpg

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Medieval: Ampulla
Photographer
Birmingham Museums Trust, Emily Freeman, 2017-04-18 12:42:47
Title
Medieval: Ampulla
Description
English: Cast lead or lead alloy pilgrims ampulla dating from the medieval period; late 13th - late 15th century (1250-1450). The ampulla is broadly sub-rectangular in plan and profile. The lower part (flask) has a rounded convex base that tapers slightly to form a waste at the mid-point. This then flares outwards towards the upper edge (neck) which has been damaged. Where the ampulla sides flare there are two broken stumps (one on either side) where small integral cast loops would have projected. The ampulla has been flattened whilst the upper edge has been torn. Both the upper and lower faces of the ampulla flask are decorated with an irregular design that has been abraded and is thus difficult to interpret. The upper face depicts a crude bearded head wearing a mitre with a fleur-de-lis topped staff to the right - contained within a hachured border. The reverse shows a crude fleur-de-lis formed from three raised loops. The neck of the flask is not decorated on either side. The ampulla is a mid-grey cream colour with an uneven patina. This patina has been abraded in several areas revealing a mid-grey metal beneath. There are several areas of damage present; the most significant of these is a lateral tear across one face of the ampulla, another is consistent with crushing of the flask. Where abrasion and tearing has occurred a light grey powdery corrosion product is present. These areas of damage are consistent with abrasion occurring in the plough zone of a field.

Ampullae were used to contain holy water, as a souvenir of a pilgrimage; they date to the 13th to 15th centuries. It has been suggested that many of these are found unconnected with religious sites (specifically in East Anglia) and it is thought that they could have been used and discarded in a religious ceremony to bless the fields. Not enough ampullae have been recorded in the West to say if a similar tradition is prevalent here.

The ampulla measures, 51.6mm in length (from the upper edge to the apex of the base), 28.1mm maximum width (across the base of the ampulla) and is 9.8mm thick (at the base). It weighs 39.2 grams.
Depicted place (County of findspot) Shropshire
Date between 1200 and 1450
date QS:P571,+1500-00-00T00:00:00Z/6,P1319,+1200-00-00T00:00:00Z/9,P1326,+1450-00-00T00:00:00Z/9
Accession number
FindID: 813543
Old ref: HESH-0B21B6
Filename: HESH0B21B6.jpg
Credit line
The Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) is a voluntary programme run by the United Kingdom government to record the increasing numbers of small finds of archaeological interest found by members of the public. The scheme started in 1997 and now covers most of England and Wales. Finds are published at https://finds.org.uk
Source https://finds.org.uk/database/ajax/download/id/611415
Catalog: https://finds.org.uk/database/images/image/id/611415/recordtype/artefacts archive copy at the Wayback Machine
Artefact: https://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/record/id/813543
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(Reusing this file)		 Attribution License

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This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.
Attribution: Birmingham Museums Trust
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current17:20, 16 December 2018Thumbnail for version as of 17:20, 16 December 20184,724 × 3,091 (3.15 MB)Fæ (talk | contribs)Portable Antiquities Scheme, HESH, FindID: 813543, medieval, page 1869, batch count 11858

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