Pilgrim’s badge 1350 – 1420 | Crown design, relating to Edward the Confessor. It would have been bought by a pilgrim in the days of Geoffrey Chaucer, who would have pinned it onto their hat to prove they had completed their pilgrimage. On returning to London, it was chucked in the River in gratitude for a safe journey.
Roman oil lamp, AD 70 – 140 | Made in Londinium by Anglo-Romans, this ceramic lamp was made from local clay in a mould, and was designed to burn olive oil, giving up to three hours of light.
Syphilis syringe, 1720 – 1750 | This pewter syringe was used to inject mercury into a man’s urethra to combat the effects of syphilis. The cure was often worse than the disease, causing severe burns to the penis. Men tolerated this as they believed it would prevent further sickness, and eventual madness.
Saxon coin, 852 – 874 | Saxon penny, King Burgred, of Mercia, in Extremely Fine condition. This coin has literally escaped from hoards of marauding Vikings. Perhaps it was buried, during a raid, in hope of digging it up later, or maybe it was paid as Danegeld to the conquering armies. Burgred escaped with his life, abandoning his kingdom and leaving London for Rome, where he lived out his last few years in seclusion.
Tudor ear scoop bodkin, 1600 – 1700 | A post-medieval bodkin, with a long rectangular eye for threading lace, smaller holes for thread and a scoop-shaped terminal for extracting wax from the ears. The extracted wax was used to smooth frayed threads. Metal bodkins in this style have been recorded before, but this is the only one of its type found in bone.
Monika's Finds
Pilgrim’s badge 1350 – 1420 | Crown design, relating to Edward the Confessor. It would have been bought by a pilgrim in the days of Geoffrey Chaucer, who would have pinned it onto their hat to prove they had completed their pilgrimage. On returning to London, it was chucked in the River in gratitude for a safe journey.
Roman oil lamp, AD 70 – 140 | Made in Londinium by Anglo-Romans, this ceramic lamp was made from local clay in a mould, and was designed to burn olive oil, giving up to three hours of light.
Syphilis syringe, 1720 – 1750 | This pewter syringe was used to inject mercury into a man’s urethra to combat the effects of syphilis. The cure was often worse than the disease, causing severe burns to the penis. Men tolerated this as they believed it would prevent further sickness, and eventual madness.
Saxon coin, 852 – 874 | Saxon penny, King Burgred, of Mercia, in Extremely Fine condition. This coin has literally escaped from hoards of marauding Vikings. Perhaps it was buried, during a raid, in hope of digging it up later, or maybe it was paid as Danegeld to the conquering armies. Burgred escaped with his life, abandoning his kingdom and leaving London for Rome, where he lived out his last few years in seclusion.
Tudor ear scoop bodkin, 1600 – 1700 | A post-medieval bodkin, with a long rectangular eye for threading lace, smaller holes for thread and a scoop-shaped terminal for extracting wax from the ears. The extracted wax was used to smooth frayed threads. Metal bodkins in this style have been recorded before, but this is the only one of its type found in bone.
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