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Chest (Corbridge hoard)
#1
Hello everyone,

First of all, best wishes for 2022!

I am gathering some information about the wooden chest from the Corbridge hoard. As far as I can read in "Excavations at Corbridge - the Hoard", the chest is constructed as follows:

- Made out of multiple planks joined with dovetail joints.
- Bottom is fixed using the tongue and groove joint
- Right-angled iron strips are added to the corners to reinforce the box
- Copper alloy dome-headed studs are used to add the reinforcement strips
- The lid is attached by iron hinges
- There was a lockplate on the chest
- The chest had a fitted leather sleeve

There is no information about the lid other than it was misinterpreted as floorboard. But the thing is that the iron hinges are not straight but bend at an angle. Could that be an indication that the lid was not a flat but might be a "domed" lid? What do you guys think?


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Known as "Mitchell" in the 20th/21th century
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#2
The hinges will work on a flat or curved lid about 2.5-3cm thick (estimated), basically the right angled piece is set into the inside of the lid with the looped end outside of the box, one hinge looks like its been bent out of shape so it no longer forms the right angle.
That said the "floor boards" covering the box were likely the lid, so I would say flat.

The bottom tongue and groove is speculative, could it be the plain repaired "side" with no dovetails is from the bottom?
Ivor

"And the four bare walls stand on the seashore. a wreck a skeleton a monument of that instability and vicissitude to which all things human are subject. Not a dwelling within sight, and the farm labourer, and curious traveller, are the only persons that ever visit the scene where once so many thousands were congregated." T.Lewin 1867
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#3
(01-02-2022, 10:35 PM)Crispianus Wrote: The hinges will work on a flat or curved lid about 2.5-3cm thick (estimated), basically the right angled piece is set into the inside of the lid with the looped end outside of the box, one hinge looks like its been bent out of shape so it no longer forms the right angle.
That said the "floor boards" covering the box were likely the lid, so I would say flat.

The bottom tongue and groove is speculative, could it be the plain repaired "side" with no dovetails is from the bottom?

Thank you very much for your reply! I asked the same thing in our local research group and I managed to make a drawing. When the hinge is sunked into the lid, it will not create a gap between the lid and the rest of the chest. The lid would indeed be flat.

   

About the bottom: Now that you mention it, that would make sense. The fact that the rivets from the "repaired end" didn't have leather traces could indicate that the fitted leather sleeve did not cover the bottom. I could be pulled over the chest from the top. The base could be attached like in my drawing below and reinforced with iron strips.

   
Known as "Mitchell" in the 20th/21th century
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#4
(01-03-2022, 03:01 PM)Martialis_NL Wrote:
(01-02-2022, 10:35 PM)Crispianus Wrote: The hinges will work on a flat or curved lid about 2.5-3cm thick (estimated), basically the right angled piece is set into the inside of the lid with the looped end outside of the box, one hinge looks like its been bent out of shape so it no longer forms the right angle.
That said the "floor boards" covering the box were likely the lid, so I would say flat.

The bottom tongue and groove is speculative, could it be the plain repaired "side" with no dovetails is from the bottom?

Thank you very much for your reply! I asked the same thing in our local research group and I managed to make a drawing. When the hinge is sunked into the lid, it will not create a gap between the lid and the rest of the chest. The lid would indeed be flat.



About the bottom: Now that you mention it, that would make sense. The fact that the rivets from the "repaired end" didn't have leather traces could indicate that the fitted leather sleeve did not cover the bottom. I could be pulled over the chest from the top. The base could be attached like in my drawing below and reinforced with iron strips.

Yes that's it, I looked again at the evidence and one surviving length of reinforcement has wood grain running lengthways, I think this is supposed to be the repair to one corner of the box but doesnt make much sense, more likely the bottom edge...

The leather cover is described as covering very closely, so most likely permanently fixed in some fashion thats not clear, the leather covers everything nails and reinforcing strips, though I couldnt see any mention of it covering the lock plate... theres also what looks like part of a staple for the lock.

Again no remains of the bottom other then the strip mentioned above.
Ivor

"And the four bare walls stand on the seashore. a wreck a skeleton a monument of that instability and vicissitude to which all things human are subject. Not a dwelling within sight, and the farm labourer, and curious traveller, are the only persons that ever visit the scene where once so many thousands were congregated." T.Lewin 1867
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#5
Please forget the thing about the leather sleeve I said earlier. I somehow mixed the information about the leather from 114a and 114b... Big Grin Angel

This is what they say about the lock plate (where they mention the leather):

113 (Fig 80) Rectangular iron plate, two edges of which survive, pierced by an iron nail which passes through wood on the rear face. There appear to be the remains of two copper alloy bosses or studs on the front face, one next to the other. At one corner of the plate is a dome-headed iron stud. The front face is virtually covered in leather. Maximum length: 88mm, maximum width: 90mm, length of nail: 53mm, diameter of boss: 22mm
Known as "Mitchell" in the 20th/21th century
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#6
Yes your right there is leather, this would suggest that the box was covered before being buried (perhaps in a effort to waterproof it) rather then as a decorative feature, the large 53mm nail might suggest a wooden box for the lock mechanism on the inside of the chest (the sides of the chest seem to be about 2cm thick), most probably a sliding bolt type lock.
Ivor

"And the four bare walls stand on the seashore. a wreck a skeleton a monument of that instability and vicissitude to which all things human are subject. Not a dwelling within sight, and the farm labourer, and curious traveller, are the only persons that ever visit the scene where once so many thousands were congregated." T.Lewin 1867
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#7
(01-09-2022, 10:59 PM)Crispianus Wrote: Yes your right there is leather, this would suggest that the box was covered before being buried (perhaps in a effort to waterproof it) rather then as a decorative feature, the large 53mm nail might suggest a wooden box for the lock mechanism on the inside of the chest (the sides of the chest seem to be about 2cm thick), most probably a sliding bolt type lock.

The lock would be something similar like this, right?
[Image: doorlocks-roman.jpg]
(Picture is from historicallocks.com)
Known as "Mitchell" in the 20th/21th century
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#8
Yes thats it there are less complex mechanisms as well...
Ivor

"And the four bare walls stand on the seashore. a wreck a skeleton a monument of that instability and vicissitude to which all things human are subject. Not a dwelling within sight, and the farm labourer, and curious traveller, are the only persons that ever visit the scene where once so many thousands were congregated." T.Lewin 1867
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