MEDIEVAL WRITING AND DRAWING EQUIPMENT

1200

A cast copper-alloy pen of probable medieval date. Knobbed shaft with four longitudinal rows of linked lozengiform facets; hollows between. Roughly hemispherical knop with flat, sub-circular terminal. Between the knop and the knobbed decoration the shaft narrows to a diameter of c. 3.5mm over a length of 11.2mm. There is a similar plain, narrow section between the knobbed decoration on the shaft and the lanceolate end, 14.7mm in length. The lanceolate end is 27.9mm in length, 7.3mm at its widest point before tapering to a point. There is a bevelled groove filed along each side to form the point. The shaft has been slightly bent, and the writing end appears to have been repaired using solder following an old break. There is a close parallel for such a pen illustrated in Egan (1998, 271; ref. 898), although the parallel lacks the clarity of decoration of this example and also lacks this example's more ornate knop. Egan (1998, 271) comments of the pen: 'presumably [used] for writing on parchment or paper. A fair amount of ink could have been held in the grooves.' There is some confusion as to the date of the London example as it was found in a post-medieval context. Egan also notes, however, that identical pens found in London have been published as medieval, including one where a 13th-century date was mooted. This pen is certainly in the same style as the London examples; an approximately 13th-century date is lent further weight by a less ornate example found in Chester and dated as such, see: Chester City Council (c. 2004) 'Medieval Finds - 13th century pen', (Chester Amphitheatre Project), Available: http://www.chester.gov.uk/amphitheatre/finds-med.htm (Accessed: 2005, 20 June).