This is a small toy figurine dating to between AD 1550 and 1700, recently found by a metal-detectorist near Azerley in North Yorkshire. Measuring approximately 4cm by 2cm (1.6in by 0.8in) and made of lead, it is incomplete but takes the form of a woman. A second piece of lead was found within 10m (30ft) of the first, and may represent a part of this toy or of a second, similar one.
The surviving portion of the female figurine includes the woman’s head, torso, and one arm. The head is three dimensional, with pellet eyes and a projecting nose, while the 2D hair is shaped into six lobes around the face and then falls straight to the shoulders, which are flat. The torso is also two-dimensional, except for two large pellets at the top of the body, which might represent breasts. It tapers into almost a point at the waist and is decorated with cross-hatching. The surviving arm is bent to follow the line of the torso and is also decorated with cross-hatching. A dome at the back of the head is connected to the thick rib that forms the neck, and the figure’s back is decorated in a similar way to its front.
The second piece of lead that was found is triangular in shape, with cross hatching on one side. It may be the top of a skirt or one corner of a dress. It has a slightly different patina than the main figure, though, which could suggest it is part of a different toy.
Similar toys have been recorded by the Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) including, most notably, an example found near Hawsker-cum-Stainsacre in North Yorkshire (search for SWYOR-3C7953 on the PAS database) and another in the East Riding of Yorkshire (LANCUM-75EEB5). A particular concentration is seen around Whitby in North Yorkshire, suggesting that this may have been where they were produced. For more information about this toy, see https://finds.org.uk/pas/recorded-find/SWYOR-CCCBC2 or search for SWYOR-CCCBC2 on the PAS database.
