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Description: | An incomplete cast copper alloy Aesica brooch with Celtic-style motif, dating to the 1st century AD, between AD 43 - 100 (length: 60mm; width at wings: 25.5mm; thickness at wings: 5.5mm; weight: 25.5g). The brooch is sub-rectangular in plan and mostly flat in section. The brooch can be divided into three main features. Firstly, the head/ wing is tubular in shape with rounded terminals. In the centre at the top of the head/ wing, there is a slight protrusion/ stumped remains that may have originally been a rearward claw when complete. There is a central hole (diameter of hole: 3.5mm) in the head/ wing, which perforates through to the back. This would have been for a crest, now missing. There appears to be some scroll work decoration faintly visible at either terminal of the head/ wing, although corrosion has made this difficult to identify. The second feature of this brooch is the central circular platform (diameter: 24.5mm; thickness: 5mm) with an additional larger perforated hole in the centre (diameter of hole: 4mm), which may have also been for a crest (now missing). There is also evidence of two small knobs protruding out to the side just below this circular area. The platform is slightly raised in the centre when viewed from the side and there appears to be raised moulded and scroll work decoration particularly around and below the central hole. There are two concentric rings circling the outside edge of the platform, which are also decoration by minute, multiple and incised markings. The reminder of the bow leading down to the foot is trapezoidal in plan and flat in side section, which commences at the top with a width of 21mm immediately below the central circular platform and terminates at the bottom where it splays outwards to a width of 26.5mm. There is further Celtic-style motif scroll decoration running down its length (24mm), which includes a central moulded ridge, which forks outwards to the left and right at the top and bottom. The bottom fork terminates in a scroll-like manner although most of this decoration is hidden under hardened soil and grit deposits. At the back of the brooch, there is no evidence of a hinge/ spring mechanism behind the wings as only the hollow cusp/ cover remains. The pin is also completely missing. A substantial amount of the integral cast copper alloy catch plate remains, which commences at the start of the third section immediately below the central circular platform. The catch plate curls outwards but is broken and incomplete along the outside edge. There are, however, noticeable and possible purposefully placed circular ?cut-outs? from the outer edge of the catch plate that remains. Overall, the brooch is in a worn but fair condition with a dark green patina. Some of the decoration at the bottom of the brooch is also hidden under hardened soil and grit deposits, which makes it difficult to identify the full extent of the decoration. This brooch is very similar in form and decoration to another Aesica brooch (WMID-BFA192) recorded with the Portable Antiquities Scheme and found at Shenstone, Staffordshire. Close parallels of other Aesica brooches can be seen in Hattatt?s ?Iron Age & Roman Brooches?, 1985, page 47, fig 20, ref nos 287-9, which were found at Farley Heath, Surrey, Cambridge and Cambridgeshire respectively. However, this unusual Aesica derives from Thistle/ Rosette brooches of the 1st century AD, and you are able to see closer parallels with these brooches. For example, Hattatt, 1985, page 44, fig 19, ref no 285, which was found in the East Midlands. The side profile for this example is flat and more similar to this discussed brooch with Celtic-style motif. Thistle/ Keyhole type brooches are also similar, for example, Hattatt, 1982, ?Ancient & Romano-British Brooches?, page 101, fig 41, ref no 72. The distribution for these types covers eastern England, notably Essex, Suffolk and North Lincolnshire as well as some spread down to the south (see page 49, fig 18, distribution map 6, ?Brooches of Antiquity?, Hattatt, 1987). | 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 | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Identifier: | http://www.finds.org.uk/database/artefac... | Language: | en-GB | Format: | text/html | Go to resource |
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