Homes of eBay 6: Spindle Whorl

Ok, last one of the picture posts. Thanks to all of you who have been following this series and sharing the posts on Twitter and elsewhere.

The purpose of these six sets of images has been to start some wider debate on the potential for eBay to be be public archaeology by jumping over the hurdle of illicit antiquities and metal-detecting finds at the outset. While these are very real, important concerns with this particular forum and I will address them in a future post, for PA2015 I am more specifically concerned with the material networks operating around the site and the people who engage with it. So, I wanted to start at a very personal level, giving an anonymous tour of sellers’ houses. It’s also the reason I chose not to collect data on how much items sold for or even whether they sold or not. There are plenty of other people looking at this side of eBay. As this month goes on, and we move away from the networks of the controversial eBay to the networks of the far less controversial recycling, I hope the benefits of taking this start position will become clear. Before we move on though, here is the final part of the Homes of eBay mini-project. Let’s meet the spindle whorl sellers.

Spindle Whorl

My data collection returned 127 listings for Spindle Whorl. At the end of November 2014, there were 4583 spindle whorls recorded by the Portable Antiquities Scheme. So, eBay sells in one month material equivalent to 2.8% of the PAS and would take about 3 years to sell the same amount of material.

Ancient Lead Weight. Spindle Whorl

Ancient Roman Granite Stone Spindle whorl c.1st-2nd century AD

Ancient Roman Stone Spindle Whorl CIRCA 2ND CENTURY AD x 3

ANCIENT SYRIAN. ALABASTER SPINDLE WHORL – CIRCA 1000 B.C. x 2

ANGLO SAXON DECORATED SPINDLE WHORL

Authentic Ancient Artifact Lead Spindle Whorl

Bronze Age Hungarian Terracotta Stone Spindle Whorl x 3 lots

DECORATED MEDIEVAL SPINDLE WHORL AND ROMAN COINS

Large decorated spindle whorl roman or saxom sic

Lead spindle whorl x 4

LOT Roman PERIOD – LEAD SPINDLE WHORL 1-2nd Century AD x 2

Medieval Anglo Saxon DECORATED LEAD SPINDLE WHORL GROUP X 18 _ 3 lots

medieval decorated spindle whorl plus two others metal detecting finds

Multi period 87 lots

ROMAN BRITAIN. DECORATIVE SHALE SPINDLE WHORL. NICE CONDITION.

RomanSaxon Decorated Spindle Whorl

SPINDLE WHORL or LEAD WEIGHT MEDIEVAL NICE EXAMPLE METAL DETECTING FIND

UNUSUAL ANGLO-SAXON LEAD SPINDLE WHORL c630 AD METAL DETECTING FINDS

All map data ©Google

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Homes of eBay 5: Roman Coin

I hope you’re still with me. This is the big one. In November 2014, eBay listed 289 Roman Coin sales. At the end of that month, there were 196893 listed on the PAS. EBay sells 0.15% of the PAS in a month and would take 54.5 years to sell an equivalent set of objects.

►UNCLEANED ANCIENT ROMAN COINS, GOOD QUALITY◄

2 x Silver Roman Denarius uk Detector Finds

3x Large Roman coins (unresearched)

5X ROMAN BRONZE RADIATE COINS; WINCHESTER DETECTING FINDS

10 Ancient Roman coins + 4 oz. Mint State Restoration Coin Cleaner MSR 042

10 MIXED COINS INCLUDING TWO ROMAN COINS METAL DETECTING FINDS (263)

46 AS FOUND ROMAN COINS

3714’Constantine The Great Roman copper silver-plated coin F

ANCIENT CELTIC BRONZE PROTO MONEY CURRENCY PRE COIN FORM RING

Ancient ROMAN ARTIFACTS coins brooch jewelry arrowhead ring old lot antique rare

Ancient Roman Coin – Constantinople Commemorative – No Reserve

Authentic Ancient ROMAN COIN angel VALENS 364-378 AD wreath artifact old money

BULK-LOT OF 59 LATE ROMAN COINS 3RD – 4TH CENTURY AD UNCLEANED! 3 DAYS ONLY!

c85 AD British Found Emperor Domitian Roman Period Ar Silver Denarius Coin

coins roman metal detecting finds

Collection of unresearched roman coins metal detecting find

CONSTANTINE THE GREAT ROMAN BRONZE COIN COMMEMORATIVE COINAGE

Constantine 1st Commenorative Roman Coin

DECORATED MEDIEVAL SPINDLE WHORL AND ROMAN COINS

Fibula Brooch Roman Great Art Colour Coins Roman Brooch

Group of Metal Detecting Find Roman Medieval Tudor-Modern Buckle Badge Coins

Hammered silver coin roman medieval metal detecting finds

Huge Lot Of 760 Roman Bronze Coins As Dug From Norfolk-Suffolk England

INTERESTING METAL DETECTOR FOUND COINS AND ARTIFACTS

load of old coins inc silver 3 day sale D2

Lot of Silver Coin – Metal Detecting Finds

Lot of 8 coins time pirate (L4)

metal detecting finds 5 nice roman coins

metal detecting finds 10xearly to late roman coins

metal detecting finds A Group Of 20 Constantine Roman Coins

Metal Detecting Finds inc Roman Coins

metal detecting finds roman coins grots

METAL DETECTING FINDS SILVER HAMMERED COIN LEAD SEAL ROMAN MODERN ODD UNUSUAL

Metal Detector Finds 37 Roman Coins

mixed roman mediveal modern metal items coins 40 items

Rare silver Hadrian denarius coin 117-138 AD

roman silvers and bronze coins metal detecting finds

ROMAN AE3 BRONZE COIN OF VALENTINIAN 1 {364-375AD}

Roman Bronze Coin Constantine I AD 307 – 337 Altar

Roman Clay Oil Lamp & Coin

Roman Coin – Ae3 Size – 18mm diameter Brass Coloured (BAC1221)

ROMAN COIN

Roman coin metal detecting find

roman coin sestertius

Roman Coin

roman coins 3

ROMAN COINS METAL DETECTING FIND

Roman coins

Roman Lead Coin-Detecting Find

Roman medieval and later metal detecting finds inc coin of carausius

ROMAN UMBONATE BROOCH PLUS SESTERTIUS COIN

SCARCE antoninian of AURELIANUS CLEANED VERY NICE COIN

silver roman coin

Superb group metal detecting finds inc Roman coins Medieval items

TOP-LOT 18 LATE ROMAN COINS HELENA GRATIANUS CONSTANS VALENS ETC 306-383AD

UNCLEANED UNIDENTIFIED ROMAN COIN DETECTOR FIND

UNCLEANED ROMAN coin

UNIDENTIFIED ROMAN COIN

very rare MN ACILIUS GLABRIO AR DENARIUS silver roman coin

All map data ©Google

Homes of eBay 4: Clay Pipe

In November 2014 there were 35 Clay Pipe listings on eBay. At the end of the same period 634 had been recorded by the Portable Antiquities Scheme. EBay lists the equivalent of 5.5% of the PAS each month and would take 18 months to sell the same amount of artefacts.

+RARE! Pre-Columbian 300-900 AD VERACRUZ Clay Tobacco Smoking FACE Pipe

3 vintage clay pipe bowls without stems

14 Old clay pipes dug up or found on fields around North shields one 1690s full

17th CENTURY CLAY PIPE SECTION. NICE CONDITION.

18TH CENTURY CLAY PIPES CIRCA 1730 – 1780 ,SOME WITH MAKERS MARKS

19 C SAILOR FIGUREHEAD CLAY SMOKING PIPE PAINTED GLAZED AFRICAN

25 BRITISH TAVERN CLAY PIPES 1650-1880 ALL DIFFERENT DUMP DUG CONDITION

A COLLECTION OF 25 CLAY SMOKING PIPE BOWLS VARIOUS CIRCA 1700 TO 1900

A vintage long South sea islands wood carved pipe, clay bowl

antique clay pipe display case

Antique Dutch Tabacco clay pipe 18th century with stem

Antique UK Clay Pipe 30 Lot 1830 Bowl Dug Up Rare

British Found – French Ornate Clay Pipe 18th century

CLAY PIPE FRAGMENTS

Clay Tobacco Pipes – 17th-19th century – Metal Detector Finds

Colonial Fredricksburg 18th Century Relic Ceramic Clay Pipe Stem Artifact Lot 2

FRAMED GLAZED DEEP MUSEUM DISPLAY CASE EXAMPLES OF EARLY CLAY PIPES TOBACCIANA

Nupe Clay Pipe Nigeria Africa

old clay pictorial smoking pipes

Old Tobacco Clay Smoking Pipes & Original Crate

victorian clay pipes in frame

Vintage Colonial Williamsburg Mounted Handmade ‘1800’s Tavern’ Style Clay Pipe

All map data ©Google

 

 

 

Homes of eBay 3: Musket Ball

Data collection returned 61 listings for Musket Ball (many are multiple lots though). At the end of November 2014, the PAS contained 1808 examples. So, in a month, eBay lists material equivalent to 3.4% of the PAS and would take 2.5 years to sell the same amount.

8 BRITISH CIVIL WAR PERIOD LEAD MUSKET BALLS DETECTING DETECTOR FINDS

13 OLD MUSKET BALLS

22 MUSKETS BALLS FROM yorkshire 20mm DOWN TO 5mm METAL DETECTING FINDS

25 CIVIL WAR MUSKET BALLS

50 MUSKETS BALLS – all from ESSEX 18 mm 6 mm approx. METAL DETECTING FINDS

1640s ~ excellent 10 x Charles I English Civil War musket balls (Arundel Castle)

1715 Fleet Shipwreck Musket Balls Split Shot Minnie Ball Found By Lou Ullian

1715 TREASURE FLEET’S CABIN WRECK MUSKET BALLS

ANTIQUE JAPANESE MUSKET BALLS OR GRAPE SHOT-16th-17th century

Collectable dug old English Musket Balls Lead pistol Shot x 6 – 16mm Diameter

DUG LARGE LOT OF MISC ANCIENT ROMAN LEAD ARTIFACTS & TOKENS MUSKET BALLS

English Civil War Lead Musket & Pistol Balls

English Civil War Lead Musket Ball – Oxfordshire Found

Fantastic lot 10 lead Musket Balls Napoleonic Wars 1811

Flintlock Double Musket Ball from 1758 HMS Invincible ShipWreck

Lead Musket ball Gun Powder Measure Civil war battle metal detecting detector

Lot of 15 musket balls from Amsterdam 18th century

metal detecting find old musket balls and other iten mixed lot

Metal detecting finds buttons buckles seals badges metal detector musket balls

Metal detecting finds coins seals metal detector musket balls

metal detecting finds job lot large musket balls

Musket Flintlock pistol balls

MUSKET BALLS & 19th CENTURY LEAD BULLETS

Musket Balls Bullets Detecting Finds From Kent

Musket balls metal detecting find

musket balls various lead shot x 55-uncleaned british metal detecting finds

Musket balls

Spanish Musket Ball From The Atocha Treasure Galleon Mel Fisher Free Shipping

Two Musket balls metal detector finds

All map data ©Google

Homes of eBay 2: Lamppost

So, Lampposts are obviously not recorded in the PAS. I’ve included them partly for that reason, and partly because they will feature in the second half of this month. Data collection returned 69 Lampposts for sale on eBay. There are no equivalent statistics for the PAS.

1 CAST IRON LAMP POST

antique cast iron lamp post

ANTIQUE CAST IRON LAMPPOST LADDER RACK

ANTIQUE COPPER LAMP POST TOP LANTERN FULLY GLAZED 12 panes Unusual shape

antique lamp post 2

Antique Lamp Post

Antique Victorian cast iron lamp post

Architectural Lampost

ART DECO VTG & AUTHENTIC! NEW ORLEANS LAMP POST CAST IRON CITY SEAL ACCESS DOOR

Beautiful Tall Turned Column Heavy Vintage Wood Standard Lamp – Post 1950s

Beautifull Stainless Steel Retro Lamp Post Top

Cast Iron Lamp post Street light & copper lantern

Copper & Brass Lamp Post Top

Cast Iron Lamp Post With Top

Cast iron lamp post, Victorian lamp post, garden lamp

 

cast iron lamppost for restoration street light lamp garden or driveway

Cast Iron Street Lamp

Early Victorian Genuine Original Ornate Gas Lamp Post

 

LAMPOST TOP COPPER VICTORIAN STYLE

LAMPPOST CAST IRON HEIGHT 3760mm APPROX

LIGHTING LAMP POST

Old Lamp Post

Original Antique Victorian Cast Iron Lamp Post and Large Copper Top Lantern

original traffic light off humber bridge ! vintage retro lamp post outdoor shop

Original Vintage Antique Cast Iron Lamp Post x2

Restored Cast Iron Lamp Post with Victorian Copper or Stainless Steel Lantern

Swan Neck Lamp Post Top

VICTORIAN CAST IRON LAMP POST £400

Victorian Cast iron Lamp Post and Copper Top

Victorian cast iron lamp post

Victorian lamp post

victorian lamp post

victorian lamp post

victorian lampposts

VINTAGE IRON LAMP POST TOP

VTG COPPER GLASS LAMP POST LIGHT EAGLE FINIAL VERITAS ENGLAND TALL 27 in ELECTRIC

VTG Outdoor Lantern~Lamp Post Lantern~EAGLE Finial~Outdoor Post Light Fixture

Woodland Lamppost

All map data ©Google

 

Homes of eBay 1: Jetton

When I mention eBay to archaeologists, the majority opinion has been a shake of the head and the hint of a smile. It seems to me that eBay is viewed remotely as a negative phenomenon, not something to be engaged with. There are lots of reasons for this though, the sale of metal-detecting finds through it being only one. It’s also understandable that people find it hard to comprehend the sheer scale and complexity of eBay as a data set.

With that in mind, I want to start this exploration of eBay by trying to make that dataset more human. I’m going to do that through an exploration, presented largely without comment, of the sellers’ houses. Hope you like it, we can discuss it a week from now.

Jettons

My data collection returned 18 listings of Jettons on eBay. As of November 2014, there were 8034 Jettons recorded by the Portable Antiquities Scheme. EBay then, lists Jettons equivalent to 0.22% of the PAS database every month and would take 37 years to sell an equivalent set of artefacts.

A LOT OF OLD DETECTOR FOUND MEDIEVAL JETTONS

Coins jettons tokens inc irish hammered Metal detecting finds

excellent Jetton

Jetton nice example

King on Throne Medieval Bronze Jetton 14th 15th Century

Medieval bronze jetton jeton Heraldic Lion Armorial Shield detecting detector 4 lots

Medieval French Jetton Metal Detecting Find

Metal Detecting Collection Of Medieval Jettons

metal detecting finds tokens jettons etc….

Super example of an Hans Kranwinkle Jetton

All map data © Google

PA2015: April preview

Following on from Map Orkney Month is a daunting task! It’s hard to match the scale of that project, but perhaps one way to go is to contrast a really successful project with one that has partly failed.

My month is about the ways that mundane objects move around, the role people play in that movement, and the potential for people to be a kind of public archaeologist through engaging with what is going on. The month will split into two parts, one of which has failed (in a way), one of which has not.

The first part of the month will look at eBay and its potential as a public archaeology archive. Unfortunately, I have failed to engage a single eBay seller. What this means though is that I can use that as the basis of a discussion about failures of engagement which is something that doesn’t happen enough.

What remains of the eBay work is some interesting data, interesting comparisons with similar material on the Portable Antiquities Scheme and a little non-art (for I am not an artist) project on the locations of eBay items that is interesting, funny and really weird all at the same time. Here’s a sneak preview:

1715 treasure fleets cabin wreck musket balls

metal detecting finds tokens jettons etc

For the second half of the month I will be moving into towns and looking at networks of reuse and recycling. On 11 April, I’m going to Bristol to spend a day with the staff and customers of the Bristol Wood Recycling Project and I will report back afterwards, as well as posting plenty more information on the context of the kind of public engagement with archaeology I am looking at with this work.

Please please get involved with the failure discussion, it could be really important! And enjoy the rest.

James Dixon