This pewter flagon, recovered from the orlop deck of the Mary Rose, stands out among our collection because of the many engraved marks on its surface.
The flagon has a bulbous body and a domed lid with a twin-ball thumbpiece attached to a solid strap handle. It is 203mm tall with a maximum body diameter of 148mm, a capacity of 1.8 litres (half gallon or ‘pottle’) and weighs 2.27kg, and is made of pewter with a mix of 67.9% tin/30.8% lead. It was probably made in Lille, northern France or in the Netherlands
The flagon is engraved all over the lid with a radiating lattice design within which are several specific symbols including ‘15’ or ‘IS’. A crude male figure, possibly a tonsured monk in profile and the date 1545 are engraved on the body, along with several other marks, several of which may incorporate arrows. Two ‘W’ stamps on the handle may be a maker’s or owner’s mark. The base has a ‘Trinity’ symbol of three intertwined fish. This is one of the earliest Christian symbols, pre-dating even the cross and has roots in pagan symbolism.