VIKING UNST PROJECT: FIELD SEASON 2008 - Nabo

the same stone. SF721 (context [117]) is a good example of a drilled perforation andSF1174 (context [123]) includes a perforation formed by knife cuts. In some cases, a singleperforation is located at one end of the weight, as in SF1921 (context [185]) and in othersthe perforation is centrally placed (e.g. SF721). Several of the weights (e.g. SF1058 context[160]) display a partially worked example coinciding with a still-usable perforation.Although often seen in schist and steatite examples, only one of the weights possiblydisplays a completed secondary perforation in replacement of a broken original. Thisexample, SF1998 from context [185], has a single perforation placed favouring one edge,the opposing end has been heavily worked and rounded and contains a centrally placednotch. The heavy working of this end suggests the notch may be an original feature thatwould have worked in conjunction with the perforation. It is also possible that this notchmay have been one of the original attempts at a perforation that failed and has been heavilyreworked after breaking. However none of the other weights that show signs of reworkingdisplay this amount of effort. Another attempt at perforating the stone is visible on onesurface of the weight. Six simple stone weights are to be found in this part of theassemblage. Of these, Large examples which are likely to be fishing weights includeSF1915 (context [218]) and SF1934 (context [185]).Two of the steatite weights have a slightly different form to the others within theassemblage. SF1078 from context [035] is a narrow (10x38x28mm) heavily workedperforated object slightly S-shaped in outline. The perforation, an irregular crudely workedoval, is set to one side and favours one end of the artefact. SF1607 from context [185] is anequally narrow fragment (61x46x18mm) displaying a central perforation.The reuse of vessel sherds which have been crudely trimmed is common in this group, e.g.SF1923 from context [185], which includes an incised cross on one face. This is a featurewhich was identified in the assemblage from this site in 2007 (Batey 2007: 63). Althoughthere are complete tear-form weights in the group, such as SF1507 (context [196]), thereare also examples of possible preforms for weights on this shape, such as SF1207 (context[088]), indicating an active production process as required. The finds of this category arescattered over several contexts and only layers [185] (with 5 examples), [149] (with three),and [123] (with two) have multiple examples.In addition to the 17 steatite weights there are two further examples that should be includedin this part of the assemblage. SF1599 from context [149] is a simple, unfinished tear dropshaped weight broken along the line of a failed knife-scored perforation. SF2003 is inoutline very similar to the oval and tear shaped weights although on a much larger scale(298x207x35mm). A considerable amount of effort has been put into shaping its edges andsurfaces where a lot of tooling marks are still in evidence. Unfortunately a fragment ismissing from the top of the artefact where a perforation would be expected if this were alarge possible roof weight.Line SinkersThree weights fall into the category of line sinkers. SF1084 from context [070] is a small(90x52x34mm) broken example that displays heavy working in shaping the artefact. Aperforation has been centrally drilled in combination with lateral grooving running from the39