Cylindrical loomweight. From Bower's Farm, Melchet Park, Plaitford, Hampshire. Bronze age.

Clay loomweight

Believed to be of Bronze Age date

Found at Melchet Park, Plaitford, Hampshire and donated to the museum in 1929

This large clay object is thought to have been used to weight the threads on a loom during weaving, although, given its large size it might have held down something heavier, such as a roof. Alternatively, as a similar object from Bursledon is just over half the size, it could have functioned as a real weight , of a standardised size, for measuring out goods. The surface is decorated with faint pricks from a comb, a similar technique to that used on some early Bronze Age pottery beakers.