File:ROMAN , MELON BEAD (FindID 747129).jpg

English: Half of a dark cobalt blue melon (gadrooned) glass bead of Roman date (50-200AD). The bead would have been circular in plan with a central hole. The inner hole surface is smooth and the outer is adorned with regular longitudinal ridges and groves (gadroons) providing the distinctive 'melon' like appearance. This surface also has a few irregularly placed small circular concave indentations, possibly a decorative feature or alternatively a fault in the glass during manufacture. The majority of the break is old and worn, however a small section of the break is crisp and transparent, most likely due to recent post depositional processes. The bead is 26.04mm in length, 16.92mm wide, 9.83mm thick and weighs 7.96g.

Melon beads are typical of the early Roman period, and are often found in museums as they are large and robust (Johns, p.101). Crummy (1981) suggests that from Colchester excavation evidence melon beads were most likely introduced into Britain after the AD 43 conquest. It is also suggested that larger beads are of a later date than smaller examples, see Crummy p. 31-32, Fig 32 no.524.

Similar examples have also been recorded as <a href="https://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/record/id/575292" title="View details for NMS-8C0278">NMS-8C0278</a>, , <a href="https://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/record/id/415703" title="View details for SWYOR-114861">SWYOR-114861</a>, <a href="https://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/record/id/193344" title="View details for DENO-943191">DENO-943191</a>.