ROMAN HAMMER

43

A complete iron Roman cross-pene hammer dating to the period c. AD 43 - 410. The hammer is broadly lozengiform in plan, rectangular in profile and square in section at the striking face, broadly ovular in section at the other which forms a rounded chisel edge set at right angles to the haft. It exhibits a circular perforation, or eye, set in a diamond shaped expansion approximately three quarters of the length along the shaft.William Manning states that this type of hammer is largely found in late Roman contexts, including the Silchester 1890 & 1900 hoards, however may have been used earlier than the fourth century, hence the broad date range given.The hammer measures c. 253.00mm in length, 163.61mm maximum width (across the expansion), 33.45mm minimum width, 41.43mm maximum thickness, 17.64mm minimum thickness.A broadly sinilar example from the database is: WMID-9E5A56. A votive miniature hammer of similar shape was found in Surrey. Cf: SUR-EB17F7.Cf. Archaeologia 54 (1894) , 139-56, figs. 8 & 9.