Exchanging Medieval Material Culture Studies on archaeology and ...

communal use. Th e single bowl and the later, more complete
jugs are all either Hambleton or Humber wares.
5 Interpretation and conclusion
Th e date of the lead urinal can only be established by inference
as no parallels for it have so far been located, but it seems
highly likely that it was abandoned at the time of the
Dissolution at Jervaulx in 1537 along with the other substantial
amounts of lead found with it. Th ese include two large sheets
of lead, both apparently purpose cut and specifi cally shaped
roof tiles probably used as fl ashing; many other pieces of lead
including came and off -cuts, and some window glass still set in
its came were also recovered. Lead on this scale is virtually
never just abandoned because of its value and the ease with
which it can be melted and recycled, but in 1537 the stripping
of Jervaulx cloister alone took fi ve days, and in total nearly 400
11 Greene 1993, 185.
Prototype or Skeuomorph? 141
tonnes of lead valued at £1.000 were removed from the abbey
over a period of three months11. In that context the lead recovered
from the drain would be regarded as a very minor element.
Apart from quantities of ceramic buildings material
other fi nds are smaller and more limited and include ten silver
coins (not identifi ed but probably pennies), a couple of copper
alloy rings and a pair of tweezers, small animal bones and
shells, and iron nails. It is hoped to publish the whole group in
detail in the future.
Acknowledgements
I am very grateful to Susan Harrison for locating the fi nds from
Jervaulx and facilitating my study of the urinal and pottery,
Kate Wilson for providing information about their excavation,
David Dungworth for analysing the composition of the lead,
and Chris Evans for drawing the lead urinal and pottery.
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