LANCUM-078118 Purse

Cast cu-alloy bar from a now incomplete cast copper-alloy post-medieval purse, dating from the early 16th century. The purse bar is broken into two fragments, right across the middle of the central block. This sub-rectangular central block displays two extending bars which end with biconical terminals. Through the central block there is a circular perforation through which the shank (now missing) travels. The latter would have terminated in a sub-circular rove below. Above would have been a cuboid block which might have retained a separate loop. The bars emerge from the centre of the block and extend for c. 28mm on either side. The smallness of this purse suggests classification as a Ward-Perkins (1940, 167, 169) Type B, sub-types B6-B8: these are characterised by their absence of pendent loops but are not easily distinguished. Such types date from the first half of the sixteenth century Chronology Broad period: MEDIEVAL Period from: MEDIEVAL Period to: MEDIEVAL Date from: Post AD 1500 Date to: Ante AD 1550