Colchester Archaeological Report 2: The Roman small finds

lue, thus providing a symmetrical pattern. The two outside
strips each held four eyes. In the centre of the right-hand
strip two survive intact: one of white round black and one of
white round red. An outer band of white survives at the
lower end of the strip. In the left-hand strip only the lowest
eye of white round red survives. It is probable that the eyes in
both outer strips alternated white/red with white/black
eyes. Unlike the usual seal-box design of a flat lid and walled
base, this box has a walled lid and a walled base. The walls of
the lid enclose those of the base except at the back, where
they interlock and are riveted together by an iron pin. The
walls to left and right have slant-sided cut-outs. The floor
has faint marginal grooves and four perforations, one at
each corner. The box measures 23.0 by 23.0mm, with a
height of 9.0mm.
Type 4. Leaf-shaped. The nine examples found have
been divided into two groups, a) a stylised leaf-shape
with an inner leaf design in Champlevé enamel (Fig
106; 2523-2528).
2523 Fig 106 SF LWC 1918(C), J115 F57. Shallow pit. Late
Roman or later. White metal. An elongated lead-shaped
hinged lid, terminating in a knob. The inner design of a leaf
(or heart, ibid, no 77) encloses a roundel. In the outer field on
the long axis of the leaf is a solid spot of white metal. There is
a second spot inside the inner leaf. The outer field may have
been filled with niello, while the inner leaf and the roundel
appear to have held yellow or white enamel. (It seems to be
more usual for the roundel to contain the same colour as
that of the outer field, see 2525.) The reverse of the lid is
recessed. Beneath the terminal knob is a small locating pin
to fix lid and base together accurately. Length 52.0mm,
maximum width 26.0mm, thickness 2.5 mm.
2525 Fig 106 SF BKC 2712(C), H133. Contaminated. Modern?The
lid of a seal-box similar to 2523, but lacking the spot inside
the inner leaf. The outer band and roundel contain yellow
enamel, the inner leaf ?green enamel. The reverse is
recessed. There is a tiny locating pin beneath the terminal
knob. Length 37.0mm, maximum width 19.5 mm, thickness
2.0mm.
2527 Fig 106 SF BKC 4593(C), T215. Collapsed destruction of
Period 3. Period 3 (end). A very corroded lid. The design is
rather more elaborate than that of the preceding stylised
examples and it may well be that earlier examples as a
whole were more elaborate. Projecting inwards from the rim
of the lid around the circumference are semicircular lugs,
with a circular lug suspended at the top. This lug is clearly
related to the spot of metal in a similar position but
unconnected to the rim on 2523 and 2525. From the Vshaped
base the walls of the inner leaf project into the field.
The metal tapers and is constricted at one point, forming a
shape in which the origin of the roundel of 2523 and 2525
can be seen, and also the inner spot of 2523. Both the inner
and outer fields appear to have held red enamel. The reverse
is recessed. Length (incomplete, the tip is missing) 28.5 mm,
maximum width 18.0mm, thickness 4.0mm.
b) other leaf-shaped boxes. This group contains three
very differently ornamented lids, each of which could
well represent a common subtype (Fig 106; 2529-
2531).
2529 Fig 106 SF LWC 316(C), B86 F43. Pit. 12th to 15th century.
An almost complete box, though the lid is now separated
from the base. The lid has three perforations, each
surrounded by a groove. These grooves may have held
enamel decoration, or a large ornamental stud may have
been fixed in each perforation and the grooves may mark the
stud's diameter. The lid is bent. The base has three large
perforations. There are opposing notches in the walls, and a
thick locating pin beneath the lid. Length 39.5 mm,
maximum width 16.5mm, thickness 5.0mm.
2530 Fig 106 SF BKC 2990(C), K L1. Overburden. Modern. A lid
with a thickened tongue-shaped terminal. The field is filled
with blue enamel, now partly missing. Near the hinge the
wall projects into the field of the lid in a similar design to that
of the inner leaf of 2527. This lid may represent a debased
form of Type 4a. Length 19.5 mm, maximum width 12.5 mm,
thickness 2.0mm.
104
2531 Fig 106 SF IRB 7(C), 32 (F25). Backfill of medieval grave. A
complete seal-box with a round terminal flanked by two
small lugs, rather like the voluted nozzle of a picture lamp.
The terminal bears an incised ring-and-dot, possibly once
filled with enamel. The field of the hinged lid is filled with red
enamel. Round the circumference are ten eyes of blue
mosaic enamel squares set round Champlevé enamel white
dots. Two squares in the middle of the field are missing. The
base has three perforations, each marked with a groove.
There are opposing notches in the walls and a small locating
pin beneath the lid fits into a depression in the terminal of
the base. Length 38.0mm, maximum width 21.5mm,
thickness 7.0mm.
STYLUS (Fig 107; 2532-2535)
Complete styli may be seen in Merrifield 1965, pl 138.
Most had a broad end for erasing and a pointed end
for writing. Where on our example we should expect
to see a point, there is instead a depression.
Presumably separate, and therefore interchangeable,
points or even nibs could be inserted on to this end,
(perhaps with a projection which located in this
depression). This instrument may therefore be both a
stylus, for writing on a wax tablet, and a pen, for
writing on paper.
2534 Fig 107 SF BUC 138(C), B180 G70. Grave deposit. Period 1.
One of a pair, with 2535, of exactly similar copper-alloy
styli. The long erasing blade is waisted and tapers gently
from a rectangular section (4.0 by 5.5 mm) to the edge. The
shaft is plain and circular in section (diameter 4.0mm) at the
junction with the erasing blade, becoming octagonal in
section above this plain band and swelling from 3.5 to
4.5 mm wide, terminating in a circular section stock which
swells from 5.0 to 6.0 mm in diameter. The end of this stock
bears a depression 3.0mm in diameter. The point of the
stylus (or a nib) could have been fitted in some way into this
stock. Length 102.0mm.
Fig 107 Stylus (1:1)