|
Date: |
|
Description: | A fragment of a cast copper alloy cruciform brooch, dating to the Early Medieval period, from the 5th-7th century AD (length: 37mm; width: 46.5mm; thickness at hinge: 11.5mm; weight: 12.92g).Only the top section of the brooch remains with the flat trapezoidal head-plate broken at the bottom (the bow and foot are now missing) and a slight nick out of the top left corner of the plate. Three integral knobs (cast with the brooch with average length of 10.5mm) are still present: one in the centre along the top edge of the head-plate, and the other two to the left and right of the plate, along the right knob is slightly lower in position than the left. The knobs are semi-circular in section and are each domed in outline with a single moulded collar. The head-plate is faintly decorated (also slightly worn) with minute and multiple slanted 'S'-shaped punches down its length to the left and right (approximately sixteen 'S's survive on either side). There are expanded sub-rectangular wings to either side of the head-plate which are also decorated around the outside edge (along visible in some areas) with minute circular or 'ring and dot' punches. There is no other decoration on the front of the brooch fragment.At the back of the head plate, there is a single hinge (approximate length: 9mm; width: 7mm) with an area of iron corrosion suggesting that the pin (now missing) would have originally been made of iron. There is no decoration on the back of the brooch fragment, although the three knobs are noticeably hollow with slight circular recesses.Overall, the brooch fragment is in a slightly worn but good condition with a dark green patina and two possible areas of bronze disease near the hinge at the back.Similar examples are illustrated in Macgregor, A & Bolick, E, 1993, 'A Summary Catalogue of the Anglo-Saxon Collections (non-ferrous metals)' in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, pages 98-100, particularly ref nos 12.5, 12.8, 12.9, 12.11 and 12.13, which were found at Rothwell, Northamptonshire; Haslingfield, Cambridgeshire; West Stow Heath, Suffolk; Sancton, North Humberside and Barrington, Cambridgshire respectively.MacGregor & Bolick state (page 95) that cruciform brooches were commonly worn singly on the breast or sometimes in association with a pair of brooches of different design at the shoulders. They are almost invariably being found in female graves. A broad development can be traced from early, simple forms of the fifth and sixth centuries, to the highly ornamental forms of the later sixth and seventh centuries. In England, the distribution of cruciform brooches reveals a dominant Anglian influence in their production and utilization, with particular concentrations in East Anglia, the East Midlands, and as far north as the Humber basin, with outliers beyond (page 96).
Original Image | Publisher: | http://finds.org.uk | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Identifier: | http://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/r... | Go to resource |
|
More Like this...
-
-
BROOCH
An incomplete cast copper alloy…
-
brooch
An incomplete cast copper alloy…
-
BROOCH
An incomplete cast copper alloy…
-
BROOCH
Cast copper alloy Early Medieval…
-
BROOCH
An incomplete Early Medieval (Anglo…
-
BROOCH
Fragment of an early Anglo-Saxon…
-
BROOCH
Fragment of an early Anglo-Saxon…
-
BROOCH
Description: Incomplete Early-Medieval Frankish gilded…
-
Brooch
A fragment of an Anglo-Saxon…
|