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Description: | Incomplete fragment of a copper alloy two-piece Colchester derivative (Polden Hill / Dolphin) brooch of Roman date (43-150AD) The wings of the brooch are semi-cylindrical with pierced wing / end caps. The pin of the brooch is missing but the axis bar and spring are present. The spring is formed from a length of copper alloy wire which has been turned and attached by an external chord to a rearward facing hook, located at the centre of the wings on the upper edge. The hook is broken. The axis bar is probably made of iron as a large amount of orange corrosion is present around the head of the brooch. This corrosion has encased the spring completely. The bow head is hump-like, and slightly angular. The bow is semi-circular (D-Shaped) in section. It tapers to a broken edge beneath the head. The break is not recent. The brooch measures 17.4mm length, 20.8mm width, and is 11.3mm thick. It weighs 7.15 grams. The brooch is decorated with a number of cast motifs. These are arranged around a central cast vertical rib that extends from the head of the brooch. On either side of this rib is a repeating design formed by cast lentoid pellets. Each pattern consists of four pellets arranged to form a diagonal cross around the rib. Some of the pellets are divided longitudinally in half by an incised line, which suggests that they might represent leaves. This pattern repeats three times and extends onto the lower part of the brooch which is now lost. The brooch, excluding the spring, has been silvered. The majority of this applied surface has been lost through abrasion. The brooch is a light green grey colour with an even but abraded patina. This abrasion is probably caused by movement in the plough soil. It has resulted in damaging the areas around the extremities of the brooch, especially the wing end caps. There are also several areas of light green active corrosion present. 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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