ROMAN MINIATURE OBJECT

330

Four iron miniature hammers of late Roman date.Two of the hammers are formed from a basic construction resembling that of T shaped nails although due to their form and the excavated assemblage they are miniature votive models of hammers. Both have incomplete curved loops at the tip of the handle. The hammer heads are rectangular and square in cross section. The larger example (a) is 59.25mm in length, 39.85mm wide and weighs 20.19 grams. The smaller example (b) is 48.35mm in length, 36.00mm wide and weighs 13.56 grams.The remaining two hammers are broadly similar in form to cross pene hammers (cf WILT-E46406). One is missing its shaft and only the perforated hammer head survives (c). It narrows from18.65mm wide at the perforation to 9.1mm wide at the damaged edge. The complete example (d) is heavily corrded and the corrosion product contains high levels of salt. The head is similar in form to a cross pene hammer and is 15.65mm wide before tapering to 8.8mm wide at the head. One tip is rectangular in cross section the other is square. The handle is broadly circular in cross section. The hammer is 46.1mm in length and weighs 19.7 grams.Subsequent excvation of the findspot has led to a large assemblage of votive models including spears, hammers, axes and padlocks. The excavated context contained coins ranging from AD 260 to AD 383. The peak in the mid to late 4th century sugguests a tentative date for these hammers.