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This medieval ear scoop was found by a metal-detectorist near King’s Lynn in Norfolk, and has recently been submitted under consideration for Treasure status according to the 1996 Treasure Act.
One end of the 43mm-long object has been flattened and hollowed out to form the scoop, while the other flat, square end could have been used as a toothpick or nail cleaner. There is no suspension loop, so it might have been kept safely in some kind of box or bag.
While this is a practical item, it is also highly decorative, made from silver with partial gilding, and its barley-twist shaft has a rare Z-twist. Further ornamentation has been achieved by using a punch (employed at an oblique angle into the silver) to create triangular indentations. This attention to detail, and the overall ornate design of the object, would suggest an owner of some wealth.
The details of this object are difficult to parallel precisely. Ear scoops are more common in the Roman world, but this one combines features from two known types (Egan and Pritchard’s Type I and Type II), both dated to the late 14th century. The decoration also points to a medieval date: the use of punches to embellish a twisted, square-section shaft is very like that found on many medieval annular brooches. While punched decoration on a similarly twisted form is noted in one other medieval example (WMID-6283C3 on the Portable Antiquities Scheme database), the gilding of the King’s Lynn object so far has no parallel in the UK, making this a rare find.
For more about this object, see http://www.finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/record/id/1176209 or search for NMS-B7B9E8 on the PAS database. You can find more about the Treasure process, and legal obligations for finders of potential Treasure in England and Wales at http://www.finds.org.uk/treasure.
The Portable Antiquities Scheme is an initiative to encourage the recording of archaeological objects found by members of the public in England and Wales. For more information on the Scheme, and to browse its database of more than 1.5 million finds, visit www.finds.org.uk. Information on this find was provided by Dr Helen Geake, Finds Liaison Officer for Norfolk.
Text: Rebecca Preedy / Images: Norfolk County Council
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