Milk tally stick (small, notched). Longish shape with 4 sides having 16 notches. Dated 1944, with initials Z.I. (notches made by head shepherd). Scattered carved floral designs (flower dyed red and a twig), different shaped crosses. Most of the designs grouped around the top of the tally stick, which ends in a cross. A hole is cut out in the bottom of the cross through which a string is passed for hanging up the tally stick inside the sheep pen, or to the milking pail. (Maple wood). Length 345mm, width 20mm.
Tally stick from the village of Salva, made of wood, would have been used to measure milk in the vat so that the rennet and salt used to make cheese could be calibrated accordingly. This functional object was also decorated by the cheese maker, as many objects associated with cheese making have long been.
