|
Date: |
|
Description: | An incomplete much abraded and corroded copper alloy plate brooch of probable early Roman date (50-200 AD). The brooch is incomplete, slightly misshapen and has possibly been burnt in a fire. The upper 2/3rds of the brooch survive, terminating in a broken abraded edge above the catchplate. Originally the brooch would have been sub-rectangular in plan with long sides which taper and expand along the length. In profile the brooch is broadly sub-rectangular, being slightly curved in profile. The head of the brooch is relatively complete; on the reverse face the pin was hinged. The hinge is formed by the top of the brooch being rolled to form a tubular setting which would have held an axis bar that in turn would have secured the pin. The pin and axis bar are both lost and the tubular setting is much abraded. The brooch measures 32.7mm length, 16.1mm width is a maximum of 4.7mm thick (across the hinge fitting), and 3.3mm thick across the body / plate. It weighs 3.62 grams.The front face of the brooch was originally decorated by both cast and probably enamelled designs. The remains of these suggest that the patterns present were mostly geometric in design consisting of a central oval enamelled pellet on the upper section of the brooch, which was enclosed within a rectangular field of different coloured enamel. Below this the detail is unclear, but possibly consisted of a series of vertical aligned enamel cells. None of the colour or surface on the front face survives. The reverse of the brooch is undecorated; it is relatively flat, apart from the hinge at the head.The brooch is a mid-light blue-green colour with a abraded and rough surface which is badly corroded. The brooch has suffered from abrasion, but the edges are relatively neat suggesting that movement has been limited and other factors have acted upon the metal. It is suggested that heat or fire is one of these as a grey coloured unevenness is present on many of the surfaces and this has been observed on metalwork associated with smelting and damage in fire. The brooch is broadly similar to a couple recorded in Hattatt's Visual Catalogue of Roman brooches, specifically examples 1560 and 510a. These are both dated to the mid - late 1st century, but a broader date range is suggested here.
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
Incomplete cast copper alloy oval…
-
Brooch
Incomplete cast copper alloy oval…
-
BROOCH
Incomplete cast copper alloy oval…
-
BROOCH
An incomplete and abraded cast…
-
BROOCH
An incomplete cast copper alloy…
-
BROOCH
An incomplete cast copper alloy…
-
Brooch
An incomplete cast copper alloy…
-
BROOCH
Incomplete cast copper alloy plate…
-
BROOCH
Incomplete and abraded cast copper…
-
Brooch
Incomplete cast copper alloy plate…
|