336 (36)

309

Beads

TL74 (2529) 9:

1530-33

Rounded:

stage C nos. 2403, 2404, 2405; also a disc-like bead, possibly an offcut from a longer bead to remove a damaged end - no. 2402    4

1534

Sąuared:

stage A no. 2394 (colour pl 9C)    1

1535

Miscellaneous:

no. 2401 - spheroid bead; d 11, 1 6mm; knife trimmed and with drilled hole; segment cut off at side with a knife; the hole (d 3mm) is wider than those in the other amber beads recovered. It seems most likely that this was intended to be a bead of larger diameter than the others here, but that it was damaged prior to tuming, and the segment removed so that the undamaged part could be used. It is not elear from the part recovered whether this, the missing segment, or both pieces, would have been considered usable.

total from context    _6

TL74 (2532) 9:

1536-38

Rounded;

stage C nos. 2413, 2414, 2415    3

1539

Sąuared;

stage B no. 2412    1

total from context    _4

1540-42 TL (306) 11:

Rounded;

stage A no. 344    1

stage C nos. 242, 307    2

total from context    3

The following two single finds of unfinished beads (both of stage C as defined above) could be from other dumps of manufacturing waste or they may be stray losses:

1543    TL74 2217 (1877) 9 sąuared bead

1544    TL74 159 (291) 11 rounded bead

1545    An unused natural błock of amber from SWA81 (context 2028) acc. no. 1309, ceramic phase 9, was the only waste piece recovered from the site, but a finished bead (no. 1507) was also found in the same deposit.

The above materiał clearly demonstrates the continuing import of what is, by today’s stand-ards, relatively poor-quality raw amber into London for manufacture in the late 13th and 14th centuries. ‘German’ amber was thought to be of poor ąuality relative to that from the East in the 15th century (Evans 1922, 224).

JET

1546 BC72 acc. no. 4792 (context 250) ceramic phase 10 fig 205

Incomplete and unfinished bead; d 8, 1 8+mm; knife trimmed, apparently broken during the drilling of the hole (the lines and pits on the surface are similar to those on the unfinished pieces of amber, including those from the same deposit (see above). See bonę and red coral (below) for further associated items. This jet bead, presumably intended to be rounded, has reached stage C as defined in the preceding section on amber.

This mid 14th-century bead is the sole fragment of jet from the period included in this study among recent London finds, though jet beads from the late 15th or early 16th century have been recovered. Since jet beads were, judging from this one piece, almost cer-tainly being manufactured along with amber and red coral (see above and below), it is surprising that morę jet fragments were not recovered.

The source of the jet was probably Whitby in Yorkshire (cf Dunning 1965, 61). Jet- and amber-working waste has been found on the same site in York, though dating is uncertain (Tweddle 1986, 186). Finished jet beads have been excavated in (Mord (Henig in Lambrick and Woods 1976, 218-19 no. 44 fig 13).

Jet was believed, according to a 12th century source, to have anaesthetising powers (Evans 1922, 55). For its uses in generał, see Webster (1975, 516-18).

RED CORAL

This materiał is well-known archaeologically from Iron-Age prestige goods, and also in medieval reliquaries and upper-class objects which have never been buried. Very little seems to have been recognised hitherto among excavated materiał of similar datę to the London finds discussed here. Coral is mentioned in French and possible