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Description: | Two fragments of an early Anglo-Saxon equal-armed brooch. The first fragment (2003 T65) comprises a corner fragment with three irregular holes dividing off the zoomorphic border, of which only two animals survive: one with its head joined to the corner and the other resting its forelegs on the rump of the first. A third animal, missing its head, crouches on the sloping side of the plate, which is decorated with four parallel ridges along the edge and part of a tendril scroll below. Metal analysis indicates a silver content of about 39%. There are traces of gilding in the recesses of the ornament on the front.The second fragment (2006 T277) is broken from the sloping side of one of the two triangular plates of an equal-arm brooch; length, 24 mm. A terminal head and the forequarters of a second animal survive from the inner zoomorphic border, beneath which are four parallel ridges. Initial surface metal analysis indicated an approximate silver content for the brooch of 36%, which compares closely with the approximate figure of 39% determined at the British Museum for the first reported fragment; it weighs 3.5 grams.This form of brooch was worn by women as a cloak fastener and several types are known, dating to the 5th century AD. They are found mostly in the Elbe-Weser region of Germany, but a number were brought with the Anglo-Saxon settlers into England, where they are found mainly distributed from East Anglia to the Upper Thames region, north Hampshire and Wiltshire. The two brooch fragments from Kent represent a late, openwork version of the Nesse type, which may be compared with an almost-complete example from Westgarth Gardens, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, grave 55 (V.I. Evison, "Supporting-arm brooches and equal-arm brooches in England", Studien zur Sachsenforschung, 1 (1977), pp. 127-147, fig. 4c).
Original Image | Publisher: | http://finds.org.uk | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Identifier: | http://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/r... | Go to resource |
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