Cylindrical loomweight. From Bursledon Brick Fields, Swanwick, Hampshire. Bronze age.
Clay loomweight
Believed to be of Bronze Age date
Found at Bursledon Brick Fields, Swanwick, Hampshire and donated to the museum in 1928
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 Plaitford is just under twice the size, it could have functioned as a real weight, of a standardised size, for measuring out goods.