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Description: | A slightly incomplete cast copper alloy silver plated plate brooch (length: 33mm; width: 34mm; thickness (excluding pin): 10mm; weight: 8.01g). The brooch has four main triangular arms measuring 7/8mm long with circular lugs at the tips, apart from the bottom arm where the tip has been broken and it only measures 5.5mm. The top arm has a hole/ attachment loop drilled into the lug, probably to attach the brooch to an article of clothing or for a chain to connect this brooch with another. In between these four arms at their bases, there are a series of three pointed protruding lugs measuring approximately 1.2mm long. The circular coned centre of the brooch has a ridge at the base and slopes up to a central possibly drilled indentation at the top with a diameter of 5.5mm. Between the ridge and the top of the cone, there are four ring and dots with a diameter of 3mm decorated at rough right angles with the four arms projecting from the outer edge of the brooch. On the back of the brooch, the pin is still intact and complete with a length of 28mm. A hinge mechanism with surviving axis bar is still present just below the top arm with the attachment hole. There is no catch plate, but a small groove instead running down the length of the broken arm at the bottom of the brooch on the back.Overall, the brooch is in a slightly worn but fair condition. The brooch is silver-plated as the copper alloy is appearing through underneath, especially on the back and around the arms. The three complete arms are blackened at the ends as a result of silver corrosion. Possible blue corrosion appears mostly on the back of the brooch as well as a few speckles on the front. Some of the blue material is in the ring and dot decoration, but it is unlikely to be remains of enamel as it would not appear on the back of the brooch as well where it would not be seen. Additionally, there are scratch marks on the front surface of the brooch, particularly on the arms and cone, which could be evidence of cleaning or part of the original manufacturing process.Only a few similarities have been found for this type of brooch and its decoration. Two examples are illustrated in Hattatt's 'Iron Age & Roman Brooches', 1985). Firstly, reference number 541 (see fig 62, pages 147 & 149) is similar with its coned centre and four large lugs appearing at right angles from the outer edge of the brooch. Secondly, reference number 589 (see fig 67, pages 163 & 165), even though a flat plate brooch, has four arms at right angles with lugs at the tips as well as lugs in between their bases. Hattatt also states that no match of this type of brooch has been traced in Britain, but there is one almost identical example from Rhineland. A Pannonian brooch of similar outline shape has an open-work centre (Hattatt, 1985, page 163).This brooch certainly has Continental influences.
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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