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Description: | Anglo-Saxon cast copper alloy button brooch with gilt surface. This brooch is an example of Avent and Evison class Ai. The brooch is oval in shape where the rim has been worn, it measures 17.51mm by 16.24mm, the plate is 2.78mm thick increasing to 3.95mm thick at one pin lug, and 3.57mm thick at the lug with iron corrosion. The brooch is decorated with a relatively naturalistic human face mask motif, comprised of 7 different elements with a raised (but not upturned) border surrounding it. Each element of the face mask is prominantly raised. The pointed helmet has upturned ends, and is beaded along its whole length. Immidately below are eyebrow elements which directly parallel the shape of the helmet. The eyebrows extend out to the raised borded, and are attached to the nose and eyering elements. The nose is very narrow, widening slightly at its tip. The eyerings are well placed and rounded, with small circular eye elements above. The cheeks are long and rounded but are not as full as some cheeks on class Ai brooches. The mouth element is comprised of a pointed upper element, most likely representing a moustache. The lower element of the mouth, if it can be classed as such, is comprised of a raised, beaded curve (half circle), which extends around the brooch and terminates just below the end of the eyebrow element on each side. Class Ai brooches sometimes have a beaded circle completely encompasing the facemask motif, of which this half circle beaded design is reminicent. The design on the upper surface of the brooch is practically symmetrical, showing a high level of workmanship that is associated with this class of brooch. There is no evidence of an upturned rim on the brooch, thus the brooch is not of the typical saucer-shaped design - however button brooches without upturned rims have been recorded before. The upper surface of the brooch is in very good condition, apart from some slight damage on the raised border, where it is worn and some of the gilt has come away from the copper alloy surface. There is also slight damage to the centre of the eyebrow element, the middle of the nose element and the mouth. The reverse of the brooch is incomplete, with only traces of the hinge and catchplate remaining, these lugs are very worn and it cannot be determined which was the hinge and which was the catch. The reverse of the brooch has a dull dark green-black patina. There is a patch of iron corrosion adhering to one of the lugs - it is probable that this is the hinge end as an iron pin is more likely to remain attached at the hinge end rather than the catch end, however this cannot be definately proved. The pin alignment is roughly across the face, at an angle of 92 degrees through to 272, the lug with the iron corrosion being at 92 degrees. these angles correspond to the face of the brooch as opposed to the reverse so they are comparable with the measurements from Avent and Evison?s research. | 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: | 450
550 | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Creator: | Andrew Richardson | Identifier: | http://www.finds.org.uk/database/artefac... | Language: | en-GB | Format: | text/html | Go to resource |
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