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Description: | An incomplete cast copper-alloy and enamelled zoomorphic Roman plate brooch in the form of a horse and rider. (c. AD 100 - c. AD 410). Length 26.0mm, width 23.0mm and 1.9mm thick. Weight 4.08g.The horse, which is galloping to the right, is well defined and has a small head with pronounced ears projecting slightly forwards. The eye is in the form of a small annulet. However, due to corrosion, the eye is barely visible. The mouth is not portrayed. The disproportionately large arching mane is represented by parallel vertical ridges/grooves. The tail and the hind leg below the knee are missing due to old breaks. The fore leg is complete but is diminutive. On the front of the horse's body are three oval/round cells filled with blue enamel. An elongated cell along the horse's belly and extending to the hind quarters is also filled with blue enamel. All the blue enamel is crazed. The rider's head, which is leaning slightly rearwards, is relatively large compared with the body. An indistinct face, which has a slightly projecting nose and chin, is separated from the hair (or headgear) by a curving groove. The body is sub-triangular in shape and contains three oval/round cells which all contain the remains of decayed enamel, now a cream/buff colour. The rider's lower leg and foot, which usually project below the girth of the horse on these type of brooches, are absent on this example. This may be due to an old break although a break is not discernable at this position. On the reverse face is an incomplete catch-plate towards the front of the horse. This is situated just above the horse's front leg. The curled-over part of the catch-plate to retain the pin is missing. At the tail end of the horse, near the hind quarters, is a pair of parallel perforated D-shaped lugs which retains an iron axis bar. Around this bar is wrapped a copper alloy spring of two/three coils with an associated internal chord and tapering pin. The pin is circular in cross-section and has a maximum diameter of 1.0mm.The copper alloy parts of the brooch are corroded and pitted, although some small areas of a mid-green patina have survived. The enamel and the iron axis bar are in poor condition.Bayley and Butcher (2004, 175) note that the quality of this design of brooch is variable (see Hattatt 2000, 359; fig. 218). They state that there are strong indications of a religious connection with this brooch type, with significant quantities being found at temple sites (ibid., 175-176). Catherine Johns (1996, 173-174) suggests that these brooches may depict a Romano-Celtic rider god (perhaps Mars conflated with a local deity), and may have been bought from shrines as the Roman equivalent of medieval pilgrim badges.About thirty other horse and rider brooches have been recorded on the Portable Antiquities Scheme database (May 2007). | Publisher: | http://finds.org.uk | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Identifier: | http://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/r... | Go to resource |
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