Dolabra

Object/Artifact

-

Trimontium Museum

Name/Title

Dolabra

Entry/Object ID

L.2021.93

Description

Pioneer's pickaxe or dolabra of iron, from the Roman site at Newstead.

Use

It was used for digging trenches and cutting timber for temporary camps when out on campaign. It was also used for breaking ground and building the fort (Trimontium).

Context

This dolabra was found with 5 others in Pit XVI during James Curle's excavations.

Collection

National Museums Scotland

Category

Axe
Tools

Acquisition

Accession

X.FRA 228

Source (if not Accessioned)

National Museums Scotland

Notes

Loan

Made/Created

Time Period

1st - 2nd century

Ethnography

Cultural Region

Continent

Europe

Culture/Tribe

Roman

Lexicon

Nomenclature 4.0

Nomenclature Primary Object Term

Ax

Nomenclature Class

Woodworking T&E

Nomenclature Category

Category 04: Tools & Equipment for Materials

Getty AAT

Concept

axes (tools), pickaxes

Other Names and Numbers

Other Numbers

Number Type

Previous Accession Number

Other Number

I-15-129

Material

Iron

Color

Silver, Gray

Condition

Overall Condition

Good

Web Links and URLs

"A Frontier Post and Its People" James Curle, p. 278 Pl. LVII, National Museums Scotland web link to object , A similar dolabra, also from Trimontium, in the Scran NMS website

Exhibition

Permanent Exhibition

Interpretative Labels

Label Type

Exhibition Caption

Label

The dolabra was a multipurpose tool. Every soldier carried one. It was used for digging trenches and cutting timber for temporary camps when out on the march. It was also used for breaking ground and building the fort. Identical examples can be seen on Trajan's Column in Rome.