Cylindrical loomweight. From Bursledon Brick Fields, Swanwick, Hampshire. Bronze age.

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.

Cylindrical loomweight. From Bursledon Brick Fields, Swanwick, Hampshire. Bronze age.