|
Date: |
|
Description: | An incomplete copper alloy brooch in the form of a cross with a hinge mechanism, possibly of Early-Medieval rather than Roman date. The pin is incomplete with three damaged arms. The catchplate is also missing (its arm is quite short). The brooch measures 27.11x29.21mm and weighs 4.11g. If complete, the brooch would measure circa 34x34mm.The arms of the brooch are flat and 1.50mm thick. They are c.6mm wide. At the centre of the brooch is a central boss, flat on top and narrowing from its base (5.57mm diameter to 3.49mm over 3.5mm). The top is decorated with a groove, slightly on the diagonal.To the reverse are two D-shaped lugs with the pin head and top of the shank in place. The axis bar curves upwards at either end. The pin measures 1.57x1.71mm at the break, where it is oval in cross-section.Barry Ager comments: "It is such a simple shape, apart from the central boss which might imitate a stone setting, that it is difficult to suggest an origin with any conviction. The apparent damage to the end of the 'short' arm makes it unclear if it's a Greek or Latin form of cross.Simple bronze cross brooches of Greek form occur in Italy during the Lombardic period, and in Albania around the 6th-7th century, but they have slightly expanding arms and no bosses; see examples from Romans di Varmo and Lezha (E. Riemer, 2000, 'Romanische Grabfunde des 5.-8. Jahrhunderts in Italien', Rahden, 116-8, Abb. 13a). Cross brooches with straight arms and central bosses, also of Greek form, are found possibly a little later in Italy, too; see examples from Ledro (Riemer, 118-9, Abb. 13c). Some are also known from Switzerland. But, like the Ledro example, they generally have round lobes on all the corners and in all the angles, as in the examples from Madruzzo and Stenico, Italy (J. Werner, 1950, 'Die langobardischen Fibeln aus Italien', Berlin, Taf. 50, E11-12).In conclusion, it may possibly be an Early Medieval continental import of the Lombardic, or perhaps Carolingian, period, but there is no very close parallel from either to confirm this."Chris Entwhistle of the British Museum has also seen an image and feels that it is unlikely to be Byzantine.Update: compare NMS-99E444.
Original Image | Publisher: | http://finds.org.uk | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Identifier: | http://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/r... | Go to resource |
|
More Like this...
-
BROOCH
Cast copper alloy Roman Aesica…
-
BROOCH
A copper-alloy late Anglo-Saxon brooch.…
-
BROOCH
A copper-alloy late Anglo-Saxon brooch.…
-
BROOCH
A copper-alloy brooch with traces…
-
BROOCH
An incomplete cast copper-alloy Middle/…
-
BROOCH
An incomplete large silver disc…
-
BROOCH
Fragment of foot from a…
-
BROOCH
Fragment of foot from a…
-
brooch
An incomplete cast copper alloy…
-
BROOCH
Complete cast copper-alloy 'openwork' plate…
|