406 (13)

379

Cosmetic Sets

with one end curving round to a point and the other fiat; the toothpick and earscoop are similarly decorated on the outside at the rivet end; 1 of tweezers 56mm; 1 of earscoop 31 mm; 1 of toothpick 31 mm.

1757 BWB83 2711 (328) 11 Copper alloy; toothpick only; 1 39mm.

Earscoops/toothpicks

Combined earscoops and toothpicks were pro-duced from wire, sheeting, or sąuare rods, in at least six forms. Four of these are represented from dated deposits in London. The most com-mon form madę from sheeting, which was re-covered from 14th-century deposits (ceramic phases 10-11 and 11), has a scoop at one end and a fiat, pointed pick at the other with a fluted shank in between (nos. 1758-61, fig 251). Analysis shows that brass and gunmetal were used, and an implement of this form, which was provisionally identified as pewter, has also been recorded from a 14th-century deposit in Southampton (Platt and Coleman-Smith 1975, 269 no. 1901 fig 246). The antiąuity of this form of implement is uncertain although some of its characteristics can be traced back to the 5th century. A set of cosmetic implements on a wire ring from an Anglo-Saxon burial at East Shefford, Berkshire, for example, includes a very similar earscoop with a fluted shank, which is perforated at its fiat end rather than being shaped into a pointed pick (Baldwin-Brown 1915, pl LXXXVII no. 2; Owen-Crocker 1986, 44 fig 36), and a silver cosmetic set on a wire ring which hung from the girdle of a richly attired lady, who was buried around the middle of the 5th century at Zweeloo in the Netherlands, consists of three implements all with fluted shanks including an earscoop (van Es and Ypey 1977, fig 7; Vons-Comis 1988, fig 3).

Another form of earscoop/toothpick has a sickle-shaped pick rather than one which tapers to a point (MoL acc. no. A17971, fig 251). An example madę from gold without a fluted shank was placed in the tomb of Count Palatine Phillip Ludwig (died 1614) at Lauingen beside the River Danube (Yictoria and Albert Museum 1980, 72-4

251 Cosmetic sets and earscoop/toothpicks: lower leftMoLacc. no. 17971 (1:1)

no. 75a) and this suggests that the sickle form may be a slightly later development. A further form from the 14th-century has a straight bev-elled end instead of a point and the shank is not fluted (no. 1762, fig 251).

Less robust earscoops and toothpicks were madę from wire from at least the early 13th century (no. 1763, fig 251). They would have been extremely easy and cheap to make and must have been produced in ąuantity. A wire implement from Northampton and another from Sandał Castle have Z-twisted shanks and were finished by hammering the loop into a solid scoop and flattening one of the wires at the other end (Oakley 1979, fig HO no. 78; AR Goodall 1983, 234 & 236, fig 2 no. 91). This wire form is not represented here probably because it became morę common after the middle of the 15th century.

A sixth form of earscoop/toothpick, which was madę from a sąuare-sectioned rod is represented by a single example from London. It has a bifurcated toothpick, similar to that in one of the three-piece sets, and a shank decorated with transverse grooves (MoL acc. no. 84.341/6). Recent excavations at Thames Exchange in the City yielded an earscoop/toothpick of similar form only it is madę from drawn wire rather than a sąuare rod and is embellished with twisted wire decoration to which a smali ring was fitted for attachment (TEX88 acc. no. 3753 fig 251). Another example of the latter form with twisted wire decoration was recovered from excavations at St Augustine s abbey, Canterbury (M Henig in Sherlock and Woods 1988, 214 & 216 no. 59 fig 69).

Type 1 - madę from sheet metal, hammered into a scoop at one end and a fiat pointed tip at the other, with a S-twisted shank.

1758    BC72 acc. no. 2802 (context 118) ceramic phase 10-11 fig 251

Gunmetal (AML); four S-twists to shank; 1 60mm.

1759    BC72 2531 (79) 11 fig 251 Brass (AML); fifteen S-twists to shank; 1 61mm.

1760 BWB83 4478 (unstratified) fig 251 Copper alloy; five S-twists to shank; 1 66mm.

1761 BWB83 1910 (293) 11

Copper alloy; four S-twists to shank; curved tip; 1 68mm.