Georgian Carved Limestone Skull Stele

Comprising: clay pipe stems; clay pipe bowls; pistol and musket balls; lead whorls and other items; thimbles, and domestic items; fragments of glazed pottery, bellarmine jug, tiles and other items; in an 18th century or later wooden display box with six compartments above and sliding drawer with four more compartments, brass escutcheon to obverse; brass hinges to lid, frontal plate with two lateral pivoting reeded panels, each engaging with peg on the underside of the lid; brass drop-handle to each endwall; brass lock (no key); lid with reserved panel, heater shield with arms featuring hatched bars and a vertical arrow; old collector's paper note with legend 'Artefacts excavated from camps and fortifications along the circumvallation from the 3rd siege of the toun [sic] of Newark 1645-1646 from Beacon Hill - Leicester's camp - Marlborough old line - backoly - Molly Hornwork Kings line - See R. Clamps plan' 18.4 kg total, box: 45 x 31 x 16.5 cm



Excavated from camps and fortifications from the 3rd siege of Newark (1645-1646); Beacon Hill, a Leicester camp; Marlborough old line, Backely; and Molls Hornwork, Kings Line. From the private collection of John Fox, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, UK, antiquarian and archaeologist; his collection assembled in the 1950s-1970s. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

A hornwork was a defensive construction, a flat face between two bastions.

Comprising a plano-convex section hoop with bezel formed as two clasped hands, each with a large lace cuff; inscribed to the inner face in an italic hand 'Can man give more' and maker's mark of a heater shield with a gothic style letter 'J'. 2.52 grams, 18.33 mm overall, 16.28 mm internal diameter (approximate size British I 1/2, USA 4 1/2, Europe 8.07, Japan 7)



Found whilst searching with a metal detector near Blackmore, Brentwood, Essex, in 2018, declared as treasure under the Treasure Act with reference no.2018 T849, and subsequently disclaimed by the crown. Accompanied by a copy of a report for Treasure by Laura Smith. Accompanied by a copy of the British Museum’s Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) report no.ESS-CACCCD. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

Comprising over hundred variously sized shots, some impacted or chewed. 1.68 kg total, 6-19 mm



Found Yorkshire, UK. From the private collection of Robin Sykes, Yorkshire, UK, formed since the late 1990s. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.