Stylus

Object/Artifact

Trimontium Museum

Name/Title

Stylus

Entry/Object ID

L.2021.91

Description

Iron stylus from the Roman site at Newstead

Use

A metal stylus was used to scratch letters into a layer of wax on a wooden tablet. Some wooden tablets were found at Trimontium.

Context

During James Curle's excavations 9 Iron and 1 Bronze stylus were found at the site, including the ones in these photos.

Collection

National Museums Scotland

Acquisition

Accession

X.FRA 705

Source (if not Accessioned)

National Museums Scotland

Notes

Loan

Made/Created

Time Period

1st - 2nd century

Ethnography

Cultural Region

Continent

Europe

Culture/Tribe

Romano British

Lexicon

Nomenclature 4.0

Nomenclature Secondary Object Term

Stylus, Drawing

Nomenclature Primary Object Term

Instrument, Drafting

Nomenclature Class

Drafting T&E

Nomenclature Category

Category 06: Tools & Equipment for Communication

Getty AAT

Concept

styluses (writing equipment)

Other Names and Numbers

Other Numbers

Number Type

Previous Accession Number

Other Number

II.15.128

Material

Iron

Color

Gray, Brown

Condition

Overall Condition

Good

Web Links and URLs

Iron Stylus found at Trimontium by James Curle page 307

Exhibition

Permanent Exhibition

Interpretative Labels

Label Type

Exhibition Caption

Label

Written communication was a routine part of military life. A metal stylus was used to scratch letters into a layer of wax on a wooden tablet. Some wooden tablets were found at Trimontium. The pen-knife was used to make quill pens from birds’ feathers for writing with ink.