Posted on 03/23/2007 1:30:51 PM PDT by blam
Turning back time to York 1300
By Press reporter
RESEARCHERS from York Archaeological Trust have identified a remarkable artefact which shows that in 1300, York was at the forefront of science and engineering.
The object, a small circular copper-alloy disc, was discovered during excavations on the site of the former York College For Girls in Low Petergate.
It has been cleaned to reveal an abbreviated Latin inscription around its edge - SIGNUM ROBERTI HOROLOGIARII - which translates as "The seal of Robert the clockmaker".
What makes the discovery exceptional is the fact that early historical records indicate that the first clocks prevailed at a number of major English churches only a few years before the seal was made, with York previously notable for its absence from this list - until now.
Experts say it is likely that Robert the clockmaker was engaged on works in York in 1300 with the most likely venue for his skills being York Minster, although the first references to a clock there do not appear in the surviving documents until much later.
Dr Richard Hall, director of Archaeology at York Archaeological Trust, said: "This is one of the most interesting single objects that we have found for some time. We are still trying to find out more about it - for example, we haven't yet managed to read the last part of the inscription, which should tell us where Robert came from. It opens up a new insight into the sounds and wonders of medieval York."
More information on the excavations can be found on York Archaeological Trust's website at www.yorkarchaeology.co.uk
GGG Ping.
clockmaker?......only time will tell..............
Sounds like Robert was finding what what made young ladies tick...
I'm sorry...I thought this was about the mooselimbs taking over England.
Great post.
Have traced many of my family lines in Yorkshire at that time and earlier. An interesting area.
thanks for the post
"There are those who call me...............Bob"
"There are those who call me...............Bob"
City Of York
Let's see 1300 A.D. That was the end of a "Global Warming" cycle that had begun in about 950 A.D., as well as the beginning of a new period of "Global Cooling".
Please FREEPMAIL me if you want on or off the
"Gods, Graves, Glyphs" PING list or GGG weekly digest
-- Archaeology/Anthropology/Ancient Cultures/Artifacts/Antiquities, etc.
Gods, Graves, Glyphs (alpha order)
and in less than 300 years, the Thames at London would freeze solid enough to hold ice pageants on. Climate waxes and wanes, never staying just so...
Did they uncover Theodoric of York, Medieval Barber?
Maybe Robert was making a "countdown clock" for when all life would cease due to climate change....
The first serious use of mechanical clocks was intercontinental navigation--longitude is not easy to figure simply by stars and planets. It would have been right about the date mentioned that it started.
I believe it was that cooling that drove the Vikings to extinction in Greenland.
Marty McFly: Yeah, well, history is gonna change.
Back to the Future, again
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.