ROMAN PLUMB BOBS AND OTHER LOOK ALIKE ITEMS

ROMAN PLUMB BOBS 

AND OTHER LOOK ALIKE ITEMS 

PRESENTED BY 

WOLFGANG RUECKER 

AT THE 

WOLF RUECKER 

plumbbobwolf@t-online.de 

www.plumbbobcollectors.info 

ROMAN PLUMB BOBS 1

On Ebay and in shops different items are offered as 

“ROMAN PLUMB BOBS”. 

We find 

• real plumb bobs 

And other tools / pieces like 

• loom weights 

• sling bullets 

• weights 

• others 

I will try to explain the differences. 

The material is copper (bronze), lead, stone (clay, 

terracotta). 

WOLF RUECKER 




MAP FROM WIKIPEDIA 

WOLF RUECKER 




THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE 

16/17 th century 

WOLF RUECKER 



MAP FROM WIKIPEDIA 


FROM A ORIGINAL FRENCH DRAWING (UNKNOWN SOURCE) 

IN MY COLLECTION “ANTIQUITÈS No. 15“ 

WOLF RUECKER 



ROMAN SHAPE ROMAN SHAPE ? 


WOLF RUECKER 




FROM THE COLLECTION OF WR 

• LEAD 

• 52 x 42 mm 

• Found in Hungary 

• 580 gr 

• BRASS / BRONZE 

• 50 x 50 mm 

• Found in Hungary 

• 350 gr 


WOLF RUECKER 




FROM THE COLLECTION OF WR 


BRONZE 

273 gr 

WOLF RUECKER 




FROM THE COLLECTION OF GSCH 

BRONZE 

35 x 29 mm 

116 gr 


WOLF RUECKER 




FROM THE COLLECTION OF DB 

BRONZE 


BRONZE 

WOLF RUECKER 




FROM THE COLLECTION OF PG 

LEAD 


WOLF RUECKER 




FROM THE COLLECTION OF HTSCH 


WOLF RUECKER 




FROM THE COLLECTION OF ND 


WOLF RUECKER 



ROMAN PLUMB BOBS IN MUSEUMS 

COLOGNE, GERMANY 

REPRO. 

AALEN, GERMANY 


WOLF RUECKER 




XANTEN, GERMANY MUSEUM SAALBURG, GERMANY 


WOLF RUECKER 




NAPOLI, ITALY 


WOLF RUECKER 




SEVILLA 

Archaeological Museum 


WOLF RUECKER 




BRITISH MUSEUM 


USE OF THE PLUMB BOB 

• The plumb bobs were used as a single tool by 

masons and carpenters or 

• In an instrument (like the GROMA or 

CHOROBATE) by the surveyors 

WOLF RUECKER 




THE GROMA 

WOLF RUECKER 



ROMAN SURVEYING INSTRUMENTS 


WOLF RUECKER 




GROMA EICHSTÄTT, GERMANY 


WOLF RUECKER 




CHOROBATE 


WOLF RUECKER 




CHOROBAT REPRODUCTION 

MINING MUSEUM BOCHUM, 

GERMANY 


OFTEN I AM ASKED BY COLLECTORS ABOUT THIS SHAPE: 

IT IS A LOOM WEIGHT 

WOLF RUECKER 



OTHER SHAPES OF ROMAN TOOLS: 


LOOM WEIGHTS 

FOR WEAVING LOOM WEIGHTS WERE USED TO HOLD THE THREAD TIGHT. 

THE LOOM WEIGHTS WERE MADE OF TERRACOTTA, CLAY OR LEAD . 

THEY HAVE A HORIZONTAL HOLE IN THE TOP TO FIX THEM. 

THE SHAPE IS OFTEN PYRAMIDAL. 

WOLF RUECKER 



THE WEIGHTS ARE FIXED ON 

A SINGLE THREAD OR ON 

THE HORIZONTAL ROD. 


WOLF RUECKER 



LOOM WEIGHTS 

PICTURES FROM EGYPT 

(UNKNOWN SOURCE) 

WITH LOOM WEIGHTS 


WOLF RUECKER 



SLING BULLETS 

THESE BULLETS USED IN A SLING (WEAPON) BY HAND ARE MADE FROM CLAY / 

TERRACOTTA OR LEAD AND HAVE NO HOLE! MUSEUM EICHSTÄTT, GER 


WOLF RUECKER 



SPINNING TOOLS 

FOR MANUAL SPINNING A SPECIAL SHAPE WITH A 

BIG HOLE IN THE MIDDLE WHICH IS USED TO 

MAKE THE WOODEN SPINDLE HEAVIER. 


WOLF RUECKER 



WEIGHT FOR A SCALE 

ROMAN STEEL YARD AND WEIGHT SCALE (UNKNOWN SOURCE) 

BRITISH MUSEUM 


WOLF RUECKER 



REPRODUCTION OF A ROMAN PLUMB BOB 

IN A MUSEUM IN MY HOMETOWN I MET AN ARTIST WHO SELLS REPRODUCTION OF ROMAN ARTIFACTS. 

I ASKED HIM IF HE COULD MAKE ME SOME ROMAN PLUMB BOBS. 

HERE IS THE STORY: 


WOLF RUECKER 




ULRICH MADE A WOODEN (AFRICAN BLACKWOOD) MODEL 

IN THE SHAPE OF A PB IN THE MUSEUM IN COLOGNE,GER. 


WOLF RUECKER 




THIS IS THE “FOUNDRY“ WITH ALL THE EQUIPMENT: 


WOLF RUECKER 




THE MOULD WITH THE MODEL. 

UPPER AND LOWER PART: 

SPECIAL CASTING SAND WAS USED 


TWO MOULDS 

READY WITH A 

SPRUE. 

WOLF RUECKER 






BRASS + SPECIAL CHEMICALS HEATED TO 1000 + DEGREES CELSIUS 

IN A GRAPHITE CRUCIBLE AND POURED INTO THE MOULD. 

WOLF RUECKER 




WOLF RUECKER 




CASTING OF THE MOLTEN BRONZE 


WOLF RUECKER 




OPENED AFTER ONE HOUR OF COOL DOWN TIME 


WOLF RUECKER 




TAKING OFF THE CASTING SAND. 


WOLF RUECKER 




LOOKS NOT REALLY LIKE A PLUMB BOB. 


WOLF RUECKER 




DIFFERENT STATES OF THE PRODUCT 


WOLF RUECKER 




BRUSHED AND POLISHED 


WOLF RUECKER 




HEIGHT: 56 mm / 2 1/6 in 

DIAMETER: 60 mm / 2 1/4 in 

WEIGHT: 370 gr / 12 oz 

READY! 


WOLF RUECKER 




AFTER ONE YEAR HANGING IN THE GARDEN IT BEGAN TO GET A PATINA 

READY! 


WOLF RUECKER 



CONCLUSION 

I HOPE THIS INFORMATION HELPS YOU IN BUYING A REAL ROMAN PLUMB BOB 

INSTEAD OF AN OTHER ITEM FOR A HIGH PRICE. 

• It is not easy to decide if it is a plumb bob or was used as a plumb bob 

• For us it is not possible to DATE a plumb bob! 

• Sure you can use every piece/weight that hangs on a string as a plumb 

bob, but a “born plumb bob” has a special shape and a hole in the top 

to fix the line. 

The sellers only will make money and so they sell simple weights for 

plumb bobs, but IF YOU LIKE IT, BUY IT. 

• Unfortunately we can’t ask the tools . 

• That would be great 

THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST.

ROMAN PLUMB BOBS AND OTHER LOOK ALIKE ITEMS

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