archaeology

After a hard fought battle which saw the highest number of votes for the competition this year, there was one object which pushed ahead of the rest of the pack.

And LAARC’s champion object of 2008 is….

The Children’s Whistle from Braidwood Street!

This spectacular object dates from the late 16th / early 17th Century and is pewter based. A small artefact, measuring only 45 x 31mm with a ring of 17mm, it is almost certainly inteded for a child although could easily have fit some adults too. The decoration consists of a double headed bird of prey with a continuation of the feather motif onto the tube giving the impression of its body. An egg and dart frieze decorates the top. It would have been produced in a three part mould with an additional part to make the hollow.

We think it a worthy winner of the object of the year title and a big thanks and congratualtions to those who voted. Next year’s competition will start up at the end of January, so to get your votes in be sure to check these pages out regularly or click on the “rss” button at the top of the page for updated activity. 

  This month there’s a double whammy! As so many cool finds are resurfacing during the LAARC VIP project, we’ve a VIP objects special: 6 candidates, 2 winners.

1) A Roman Cheese Press made from ceramic and found in 1973’s Borough High Street Excavations (106BHS73)

2) A pewter tankard from Cutler Street (CUT73), with an inscription from a tavern in Bethnal Green

3) A plaque from Dean’s Yard, Westminster Abbey, (WAM75) originally from a knife cleaner

 4) Medieval Scissors from Baynards Castle (BC72)

5) Iron Potter’s Tool from Lambeth (L54/80)

6) Lead Spoon from Cutler Street, with the inscription “Remember the Poore”

 To vote for your TWO favourite objects click Here

To find out more about the excavations visit the LAARC catalogue

http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/laarc/catalogue/

This month’s winner with an incredible 100% of votes, goes to the fabulous fragment of Roman painted wall plaster from Dominant House excavations in 1988 (DMT88)

Roman walls were usually decorated with large panels, within which were individual images of people, fruit, flowers or whatever the householder wanted on their wall. Colours were created using various pigments and on occasions we find chunks of wall, that have two or three layers of painted plaster, where they’ve redecorated their room!

In 2007, new excavations in Lime Street discovered more fantastic wall plaster fragments, some of the best ever found in the country. Both excavations shed light on Roman interior decoration. Changing Rooms, eat your heart out!

For more information about DMT88 visit LAARC’s online catalogue and search for DMT88

http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/laarc/catalogue/

 Every month, LAARC volunteers choose 3 objects from the collections to enter our object of the month competition. This month we’ve three excellent objects:

The first object this month is from Dominant House and is an incredible large fragment of Roman painted wall plaster (DMT88)

The second is a fine medieval crucible from Sans Walk, St James Row (SNS87)

The third item is from Westminster Station excavations and is a post medieval ceramic watering can (WUS92)

Click Here To Vote

You can also view and find out more information about the objects on Flickr at:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/laarc/sets/72157604281666414/

Finally to find out more about the sites they’re from visit our online catalogue:

http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/laarc/catalogue/

Happy voting!

If you want to let us know exactly why you voted for an object, you can leave a comment below.

Each month LAARC runs an Object Of The Month competition. Three artefacts are taken from the archive’s stores and put up for public vote to decide which goes on display in the Archive’s temporary exhibition case.

Competitions take place during the final week of each month. The winning object for this month will be announced on Friday 8th August.

July’s candidates selected by LAARC volunteers are:

1) A silver Roman Coin dating from the reign of Vespasian from Lime St (LIM83)

2) A bone plaque depicting a griffin from Dunster Court (MCT88)

3) A biscuitware figurine of a potter from Hibernia Wharf (HIB79)

Click Here to vote

You can also view and find out more information about the objects on Flickr at:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/laarc/sets/72157604281666414/

Finally to find out more about the sites they’re from visit our online catalogue:

http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/laarc/catalogue/

Happy voting!

If you want to let us know exactly why you voted for an object, you can leave a comment below.

This month’s winning object goes to the delftware plate from the Fleet Valley project excavations of 1988.

The hand painted plate depicts a cheeky little lion and it is thought its face may be a subtle reference to king Charles I 

To find out more about the excavation, visit the LAARC’s online catalogue and search for VAL88.

http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/laarc/catalogue/

Each month LAARC runs an Object Of The Month competition. Three artefacts are taken from the archive’s stores and put up for public vote to decide which goes on display in the Archive’s temporary exhibition case.

Competitions take place during the final week of each month. The winning object for this month will be announced on Friday 4th July.

June’s candidates selected by LAARC volunteers are:

1) A Roman Flagon from Moorgate (MOG86)

2) A Tin-Glazed Plate from the Fleet Valley project (VAL88)

3) An antler figurine from Guildhall Yard (GYE92)

Click Here to take survey

You can also view and find out more information about the objects on Flickr at:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/laarc/sets/72157604281666414/

Finally to find out more about the sites they’re from visit our online catalogue:

http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/laarc/catalogue/

Happy voting!

If you want to let us know exactly why you voted for an object, you can leave a comment below.

The winner of May’s delftware special object of the month competition is this cool “merryman” plate from Althorpe Grove (AG75).

The plate dates to the late 17th Century and forms the second in a series of six plates. Each plate bears a line from a verse, one for each dinner guest. This plate’s line says

“let him eat all what he kan”

To find out more about the excavation, visit the LAARC’s online catalogue and search for AG75.

http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/laarc/catalogue/

Each month LAARC runs an Object Of The Month competition. Three artefacts are taken from the archive’s stores and put up for public vote to decide which goes on display in the Archive’s temporary exhibition case.

Competitions take place during the final week of each month. The winning object for this month will be announced on Friday 6th June.

To celebrate the launch of MoLAS’ new book - London’s Delftware Industry, part written by LAARC’s very own Roy Stephenson, the three selected objects are all fine examples of this fine ceramic.

1) From Platform Wharf (PW89) - a right old mess up - a fused stack of plates

2) From Althorpe Grove (AG75) - the 2nd in a series of merry men plates

3) From Mitre Street (MIR84) - A Jewish plate, used to separate dairy products from meat

1) 2) 

3)

Click Here to take survey

You can also view and find out more information about the objects on Flickr at:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/laarc/sets/72157604281666414/

Finally to find out more about the sites they’re from visit our online catalogue:

http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/laarc/catalogue/

Happy voting!

If you want to let us know exactly why you voted for an object, you can leave a comment below.

 The fourth winning object of 2008 is this super lead alloy artefact.  From the late 16th Century, this is a fine example of a moulded whistle. Decorated with a birds of prey, it is most likely to be worn on the finger as is evident by the attached ring and would have probably belonged to a child. It was discovered during 1988’s excavations at Braidwell Street in Southwark

To find out more about the excavation, visit the LAARC’s online catalogue and search for BRA88.

http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/laarc/catalogue/