MEDIEVAL TOY

1250

Miniature lead vessel, probably for use as a toy. This type of jug is one of the most commonly encountered medieval miniatures and they often correspond very closely with full-sized ceramic counterparts. The jug has become quite squashed whilst in the ground but the thin handle remains intact at the top of the jug. There is cast decoration over the surface of the jug in the form of vertical lines on the main body of the vessel with a band of chevron decoration around the shoulder of the jug. This type of toy became popular from the late 13th or 14th century onwards, mainly in an urban context, and would have been mass produced like the pilgrim souvenirs common during the same period. It is possible that some minature were used in church although a high number of jugs have been excavated in non-religious contexts, particularly around London indicating that many had no religious function or significance. An almost identical parallel can be seen in The Finds Research Group Datasheet 10 by Geoff Egan, Fig 3a. The jug weighs 60.08g and measures 46.42mm in length, 33.93mm in thickness and 26mm in width.