BELL 467704

Description: A damaged but virtually complete post-medieval animal bell ('crotal') cast in copper alloy. It has been cast in two halves with a median seam between them. The upper half bears a faint 'sunburst' pattern formed of 'rays' with longitudinally incised lines, some interrupted by the two sound holes. The lower half is decorated with overlapping semicircles forming a pattern known as 'fish scale'. Also on the lower half are two sound holes which abut the central casting seam; these are joined together by a slot. The semicircles on the fish scale pattern decrease in size as they travel from the seam to the slot. The sound holes on the lower half are perpendicular to those on the upper half and larger. The iron pea has survived in a corroded state but remains loose within the bell. The suspension loop is sub-rectangular, with a central circular perforation: loop - L.: 10.9mm, H.: c. 10.9m, max. Th.: 5.55mm. It is rounded at the top. The 'fish scale' decoration dates this crotal to the 16th or 17th centuries (Bailey 1995, 40-41; ref. 7). It is now a dark-grey colour with some patches of light-green corrosion product. The top of the bell has lost integrity below the suspension loop and a crack has formed extending through the side of on of the holes on the upper hemisphere. The crack then continues diagonally to a hole on the lower hemisphere. The lower sound slot is also abraded as a result of use and old damage. A curious tiny drilled hole can be seen just above the median seam.

Date: 1525 - 1625

Object type: BELL

Last import: August 15, 2017