VESSEL 259258

Description: A cast copper-alloy mount (handle lug) in the form of three-dimensional woman's head from a late medieval/early post-medieval hanging laver. These items are generally dated to the fifteenth century, although the crudeness of this example perhaps suggests a later date (Geoff Egan pers. comm. 13 March 2009). The upper part of the fragment is broadly semicircular in form. The face is moulded in low relief and is now very worn. Hair to either side is moulded, extending to chin level, and a fringe delineated. Below, eyes are recessed, a nose moulded, and a mouth delineated by parallel incisions. The reverse bears a deep recess, circular for the most part, but with a rounded extension uppermost, to accommodate a handle terminal. The lower element consists of a moulded neck on the upper surface. The lower surface is flat and angled at an obtuse angle (about 140 degrees) to the upper part. The breaks have occurred in antiquity to the lower element, all around. The artefact has become a dark green/black colour. An illustration of a hanging laver can be found in Geake (2001, ill. 25 (above)). As implied above, many other laver mounts are decorated more finely than this fragment, for example ESS-A02895 on this database.

Date: 1450 - 1550

Object type: VESSEL

Last import: August 15, 2017