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Description: | Incomplete fragment of a copper alloy two-piece Colchester derivative (Polden Hill) brooch of Roman date (43-150AD). The bow of the brooch has a curved (comma shaped) profile and has a D shaped cross section. It is 21.4mm long, 10.9mm wide and 12.5mm thick. The body of the brooch tapers from a thick sub-rectangular head to where it is broken. In the centre of the head is a broken rearward facing lug (possibly a hook). This has been badly abraded and projects 0.4mm and is square in section. The wings project at 90 degrees from the bow. These are sub-cylindrical in plan, and have a D shaped profile. The projecting wings measure 7.7mm long, 21.5mm wide, and 6.8mm thick. At the end of each wing is a semi-circular end plate. In each of these there is a circular hole (1.2mm in diameter) with an axis bar through it. The brooch weighs 9.69 grams. The spring mechanism and axis bar of the brooch are present and complete. The pin is broken and lost. The spring is attached by an iron (iron is suggested by the large amount of orange corrosion around the spring case and wings) central axis bar which passes through the two small circular perforations in the endplates. The spring and pin are created from one single length of copper-alloy wire, which is turned ten times to form the spring with an external chord. This external cord is secured by a rearward facing hook, present but abraded. There are a number of decorative cast linear grooves on the brooch. The most significant of these tapers from either side of the head onto the bow. Either side of the grove are a series of repeating wave shaped patterns. These patterns have been applied to the broach and are either decayed silvering or some form of black paint or oil. Another area of decoration is on both sides of the head at the junction with the wings. Here there are a series of small undecorated linear ribs. On the reverse of the body of the brooch is a long linear rib, which extends from the head to the break. This rib is triangular in section and could have flared into the catch plate. The brooch is of a mid-dark green colour with an even patina which covers all the surfaces. There is a large amount of orange corrosion around the spring, this might indicate that the axis bar is iron. The brooch has also been abraded and rolled in the plough soil damaging several areas around the extremities. The break on the bow has a similar patina to the rest of the brooch which has been abraded. Similar brooches can be seen in Margaret Snape's book; Roman Brooches of North Britain, 1993: pp 10-13, fig 1.9.
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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