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Description: | Incomplete cast copper alloy oval plate brooch with enameled decoration of later Roman date (100-400 AD). The brooch is an oval shape (sub-rectangular with rounded edges) in plan. The edges of the brooch have been heavily abraded. The front face is relatively flat in profile with a raised central border. The rear of the brooch is also flat with the remains of a hinged pin fitting and catchplate. The brooch measures 30.6mm length, 21.7mm width is 6.2mm thick and weighs 5.06 grams.
The front face of the brooch is decorated with a series of cast and enameled motifs. These are arranged around a central oval shaped dished area, which presumably would have contained either a cameo or a paste setting. The surface here is slightly pitted with slight iron corrosion. The border of this area is marked by a raised cast oval band, which projects slightly from the surface of the brooch. This band has a slight silver wash applied to it. Outside this band, between it and the edge, a much decayed enamel surface is present. This surface is very patchy and the colour of the enamel is much decayed. At present it is a yellowish green colour but this colour may be due to the decay of the surrounding copper alloy rather than indicating the original colour. There is no evidence for either multiple colours of enamel or an intricate design. It is suggested that the enamel would have been contained within a single oval panel. The outer edge of the brooch is much abraded and only small areas of original outer edge / rim are present. On the reverse of the brooch, there are remains of a hinge plate consisting of a single raised and pierced lug. The area around this lug is encrusted with an orange coloured corrosion product suggesting either an iron fitting or conditions in the burial environment. At the opposite edge to the spring are the remains of the catch-plate. This is cast integral to the brooch and is sub rectangular in plan and profile. The outer edge of the catchplate has been turned (rolled) over to form the pin rest. The catch plate and pin rest have both been damaged in the ploughsoil.
The brooch is a mid-dark green colour with an even but abraded patina which covers all surfaces. The brooch has been distorted by movement in the plough soil and this is most evident where the enamel has been removed. This plate brooch is similar to a number recorded in a Catalogue of Richard Hattatt?s Ancient Brooches all of which have been dated to the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD figure 223, page 364 especially examples 1207-1208. Two similar brooches are also noted in Bayley and Butcher: Roman Brooches in Britain p 134, a good parallel for this example are 386-87 which are dated to similar periods. | 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: | 100
400 | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Creator: | Peter Reavill | Identifier: | http://www.finds.org.uk/database/artefac... | Language: | en-GB | Format: | text/html | Go to resource |
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