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Description: | An incomplete cast copper-alloy Roman Trumpet derivative brooch of the Alcester type (2nd century AD). The bow has a distinctive upper and lower part; the lower part is incomplete and the foot is missing due to an old break.The upper part of the bow is formed of the trumpet shaped head. It has a wide oval mouth at the back and is probably hollow, although now filled with soil. It narrows and thins rapidly from the wide top, 23.1mm wide by 13.0mm thick, to waist where it meets the lower part of the bow where it is 12.4mm wide by 3.5mm thick. It is curved in profile and pointed oval in section with convex front and back. There is the remains of an integrally cast flat plate with a hole through it forming a head loop projecting from the centre of the upper edge of the head. The spring runs across the oval opening at the back of the head. It is held on an axis bar which is held by semicircular lugs at either end. The lugs are integrally cast and project from the sides of the oval opening. The spring has ten loops remaining and a large curved internal chord but the pin is missing.The front of the upper, trumpet, part of the bow is decorated with silver inlay. There is a curved panel marked out by an incised line running along the top edge which is decorated by a row of six silver circles. From the incised line a central strip of silver runs down to the base of this section where it meets a second strip running across the width. Just up from the ends of the horizontal strip are further silver circles and above them there appear to be curved lines of silver inlay running a short distance from the edge and possibly a further circle on each side above these lines by the edges but this is now unclear due to damage and corrosion.Where the upper, trumpet, part of the bow meets the lower part a D-shaped plate projects out at right angles. It is 16.8mm wide by 7.7mm and 0.5mm thick. It is also decorated with silver inlay, with a circle near each corner and possibly some inlay in the centre, now obscured by damage and corrosion.The lower part of the bow continues into the foot and is much plainer. It is a thin plate, trapezoid in plan, and angles down in a straight line to continue the curve of the upper part. The front is plain and on the back is a rectangular sectioned ridge running down the centre forming the start of the catch-plate. The leg is parallel to the head loop, the bow having curved through ninety degrees in profile.Similar brooches can be found illustrated in Hattatt (2000, 331; ref. 976), Bayley and Butcher (2004, 170; ref. T162), and also on this database (e.g. ref. SWYOR-E7D222). The Alcester type is discussed by Bayley and Butcher (ibid., 169-170) who note that it is thought to be Antonine in date (138-192 AD), and the alloy analysis suggests a northern origin; the distribution on this database, and elsewhere, is across Britannia. This brooch has a mid-green patina.
Original Image | Publisher: | http://finds.org.uk | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Identifier: | http://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/r... | Go to resource |
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