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Description: | A fragmentary and incomplete bronze mirror of late Iron Age date. It is suggested that the piece dates from the 1st century BC, since it lacks the kidney-shaped plate and binding strip of later examples. Sixteen fragments of the object were recovered from the topsoil and subsoil and represent approximately three quarters of the original artefact. These pieces were spread across an area of approximately 300 square metres, probably as a result of deep ploughing.
Overall, the reconstructed object is 255mm high and weighs 265.5g. The plate is oval and measures up to 215mm wide by 190mm high and 1mm thick. The reverse has an engraved symmetrical pattern. This is comprised of a series of swirling lines and circles forming a triple lobe 'lyre' arrangement typical of mirrors of this period. The outline pattern has basketry infill made up of an irregular series of blocks of decoration containing either parallel horizontal or vertical incisions. These are broken up with occasional insertions of circles or petal-shaped incisions. The design is surrounded by large amounts of blank space and is stylistically similar to examples from Dorton in Buckinghamshire, Bramley near Silchester, Rivenhall, Old Warden (Bedfordshire) and Great Chesterford (see references below). The outer edge of the plate is marked by a narrow raised rim. The reverse is plain. It has a deep green patina.
The handle is of cast bronze. The top of the handle consists of a pair of double semi-circular openwork attachments. These are separated by a transverse slot into which the mirror plate is fitted. Two copper-alloy rivets of circular section, located at the top of the semi-circular attachments, serve to join the plate to the handle. This attachment is damaged and incomplete on the reverse. It gives way below to a circular moulding which, in turn, gives way to the rest of the handle (now detached). This remaining portion of the handle is comprised of two bronze loops separated by a circular moulding. A further moulding sits between the base of the lower loop and an attached fragment of what was presumably a base ring (now missing). The surface of the handle is heavily pitted. | Format: | text/html | License: | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ | Publisher: | The Portable Antiquities Scheme | Rights holder: | The Portable Antiquities Scheme | Subjects: | archaeology | Temporal: | -50 | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Creator: | Julian Watters | Identifier: | http://www.finds.org.uk/database/artefac... | Language: | en-GB | Format: | text/html | Go to resource |
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