MEDIEVAL VESSEL

1066

A near complete cast copper alloy miniature two-handled vessel or flask. The flask has a bulbous body flaring towards a rounded base that has a slightly point at the centre preventing the vessel from standing upright. One side of he body has a large sub-oval shaped perforation that is the result of post-depositional damage. It has a tall straight neck with straight-sided rim and oval shaped section. The rim measures 17.27mm in length by 14.23mm in width. At the rim are two small integral lug handles that are flat, semi-circular in shape and project horizontally with grooves separating handles and rim where the two join. The exterior has the remains of a matt black coating that appears to have covered the entire surface, as well as the interior of the rim. The visible areas of the interior of the vessel appear to have white and reddish-brown concretions, possibly resultant from the contents of the vessel, although equally plausibly the result of post-depositional preservation. The entire object measures 46.49mm in height, 32.03mm in diameter at widest point, 1.93mm in thickness at the rim, and weighs 47.19g. This object belongs to a small group of similar miniature flasks that have been recorded through the Portable Antiquities Scheme (see SUR-FA2AB0, SF4470, SF10638, LVPL-5646E7 and LVPL-EC3F40). They were clearly utilised to contain small quantities of liquids or other substances and it has been speculated that they may have been mercury flasks. However, one example found in Surrey (SUR-FA2AB0) carries the inscription OLEVM CHRISM and therefore presumably carried holy water or oils. This example is Medieval in date, with parallels suggesting a possible date range of the 11th to 13th centuries AD.