Print

Print
Dear Lucy,

As it is shaped like a pebble it sounds like this calcite (calcium carbonate CaCo3) has been worked, different from its natural rock-like crystal form often pinkish due the the iron content.
It has many uses (see Geology.com on the web).  It is used on fields to reduce acidity.  It has been used in animal feed.  It has been used as a cleaning agent gently removing stains and dirt - and this latter could account for its shape perhaps.  Presumably if it was used in a persons work it might be placed in his grave after he died?  

Bea


Beatrice Hopkinson
Hon. Secretary Oxford University Soc. LA Branch 
President, DBSAT (Droitwich Brine Springs and Archaeological Trust) 
Board AIA (Archaeological Institute of America) Affiliate, 
Cotsen Institute of Archaeology, UCLA
818 766 7780


On Apr 3, 2014, at 11:19 AM, Allott, Lucy wrote:

Dear all

One of our finds specialists has recently come across a small calcite pebble (approx 5mm x 3mm) shaped like a grain with a definite engraved furrow. Its overall shape is probably natural although this needs to be looked at in more detail. The furrow, however, is clearly carved. It was found in a Late Iron Age vessel associated with other grave items on a site in Essex (South-East Britain for non-Brits). The site has lots of pit features containing pyre debris, some urned and some unurned. So far we haven't come across any parallels in the literature so I thought I'd see if any of you have seen or heard of anything similar. Unfortunately the botanicals from the site aren't as exciting!

​Many thanks in advance,

Lucy 


Dr L. Allott
Senior Archaeologist (Archaeobotany)
Archaeology South-East
Units 1 & 2, 2 Chapel Place,
Portslade, East Sussex
BN41 1DR


Contracts division of the Institute of Archaeology, University College London