Find Spot record BLB 133 - Saxon whalebone writing tablet and three stylii, Priory of Black Canons

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Summary

Whalebone writing tablet and three stylii, "found on the property of Mr Seymour Lucas RA who presented it to the British Museum in 1902…". Formerly recorded as BLB MISC

Location

Grid reference TM 452 754 (point) Approximate
Map sheet TM47NE
Civil Parish BLYTHBURGH, SUFFOLK COASTAL, SUFFOLK

Map

Type and Period (1)

Full Description

Whalebone writing tablet,"found on the property of (see 'Not to be published on web' tab for finder/s and/or findspot/s) who presented it to the British Museum in 1902. The site formerly belonged to the priory of Black Canons, a cell to the abbey of St Osyth, Essex (BLB 001 CRN 01876), founded in the reign of Henry I, but the writing tablet ... is certainly of earlier date" (S1). However note Ipswich ware from priory site (CRN 13107).
"... was evidently one of a pair fastened by two thongs at the side, as in Rom times. Wax was spread on the sunk panel inside to be written on with a stylus, and the outside has a panel of angular interfacing in the style of the C10. This is the only Anglo-Saxon example known, and bronze rivets in the decorative panel suggest that an equal-armed cross was subsequently attached to the outside" (S2).
Traces of extremely lightly incised runic lettering surive in recess at back, which originally contained the wax. Suggest that the `scribe' was attempting Latin verbal forms (S4). Found `on some land at Blythburgh, Suffolk, now his ((see 'Not to be published on web' tab for finder/s and/or findspot/s)) property, but formerly belonging to the Priory of Black Canons...' Three stylii found with the leaf of the writing tablet (S5)(S6).
Also see (S6).

Formerly recorded as BLB MISC

Sources/Archives (10)

  • <M1> (No record type): Photographs: ALW 01-04.
  • <R1> Bibliographic reference: Suffolk Institute of Archaeology. Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology. PSIA, 1977, 155.
  • <S1> Bibliographic reference: 1911. Victoria County History, Suffolk (VCH). 350-352 (ill).
  • <S2> (No record type): BM, Guide to the Anglo Saxon and foreign Teutonic antiquities in Dept of Brit & Med Antiquities, 192.
  • <R2> (No record type): Page R I in Bonner G et al, St Cuthbert his cult and his community to AD 1200, 1989, 257-65.
  • <M2> Unpublished document: Suffolk Archaeological Service. Parish Files. Parish file: copy (S5).
  • <S3> Index: OS. OS Card. OS, card TM47NE9, 1978.
  • <S4> (No record type): Webster L & Backhouse J, The Making of England, 1991, 81, ill.
  • <S5> (No record type): Waller J G, `Notes on part of a "Tabella" found at Blythburgh, Suffolk', Proc Soc Antiq 19, 1903, 40.
  • <S6> Bibliographic reference: West, S.E.. 1998. A corpus of Anglo-Saxon material from Suffolk (EAA 84). p11.

Finds (3)

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

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Record last edited

Jul 20 2022 12:10PM

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