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Description: | Incomplete cast copper alloy plate brooch with heavily gilt (gold leaf?) decoration of later Roman date (100-400 AD). The brooch is an oval shape in plan. The edges of the brooch have been heavily abraded resulting in a considerable loss of metal. The front face is relatively flat in profile with a raised central border and sunken central setting. The rear of the brooch is also flat with the remains of a hinged pin fitting and catchplate. The brooch measures 23.8mm length, 17.2mm width is 5.9mm thick and weighs 3.93 grams.
The front face of the brooch is decorated with a series of cast and gilt motifs. These are arranged around a central oval shaped dished area, which presumably would have contained either a cameo or a paste setting. There are no remains of this setting present and the outer edge of the border has a rolled lip, possibly suggesting a setting. The border of this area is marked by a raised cast oval band, which projects slightly from the surface of the brooch. Outside this band, between it and the outer edge, a heavily gilt / gold foil covered area is present. The outer edge of this foil covered area is further decorated by a series of raised saltire crosses, the extent of this decoration cannot be judged due to the abrasion damage. The outer edge of the brooch is much abraded and only small areas of original outer edge / rim are present. The reverse of the brooch seems to have been decorated with a silver wash. On the upper edge are the remains of a hinge plate consisting of a single raised and pierced lug. At the opposite edge to the spring are the remains of the catch-plate. This is cast integral to the brooch and is sub rectangular in plan and profile. The outer edge of the catchplate has been turned (rolled) over to form the pin rest. The catch plate and pin rest have both been damaged in the ploughsoil.
The brooch is a mid-dark green colour with an even but abraded patina which covers all surfaces. The brooch has been distorted by movement in the plough soil and this is most evident on the external faces. This plate brooch is similar to a number recorded in a Catalogue of Richard Hattatt??s Ancient Brooches all of which have been dated to the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD figure 223, page 364 especially examples 637 and 1209. Two similar brooches are also noted in Bayley and Butcher: Roman Brooches in Britain p 134, a good parallel for this example are 386-87 both are dated to similar periods. | Subjects: | Plate | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Creator: | Reavill, Peter - Portable Antiquities Scheme | Identifier: | http://www.findsdatabase.org.uk/hms/pas_... | Language: | en-GB | Go to resource |
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