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Description: | An incomplete cast lead alloy form or model for the manufacture of a two part Colchester derivative Polden Hill style / type bow brooch of early Roman date (75-175 AD). This type of artefact is extremely rare and indicative of brooch manufacture on site. The brooch model has been flattened and slightly distorted by movement in the ploughsoil. The wings are complete with expanded terminals; they are semi-cylindrical in plan. On the reverse face of the wing, very near the wing terminal / ends, are two distinct sub-rectangular depressions. These would form a hollow in the casting where the spring would lie. At the mid-point on the reverse, at the centre of the cross formed by the wings and bow is a very distinct rectangular hollow. This is often filled with an amalgam to help secure the spring. The bow head is hump-like (comma shaped) in profile and is D shaped in cross section. It extends to a broken edge above the foot knop which is lost. The catch-plate is also lost; but would have extended from a vertical rib that descends on the reverse of the bow. The brooch is rolled and abraded. There is little sign of decoration present apart from the suggestion of two D shaped projections at the junction of the wings and the bow. It is possible that a small raised rib runs from the head of the bow down the spine, but this is rather difficult to discern in any detail. The brooch pattern is a mid - whitish grey colour with an uneven abraded patina. Where abrasion has occurred patches of light white corrosion product are present.The brooch measures 23.9mm length, is 18.1mm width across wings, 6.7mm width across bow, is 5.6mm thick across the bow (at the same point). It weighs 5.90 gramsSimilar styles of brooch can be seen in Richard Hattatt's Visual Guide to Ancient brooches and Bayley and Butcher: Roman Brooches in Britain. There are very few parallels for lead forms or brooches; the PAS have recorded 6 (NMS-006CB8 Grimston Norfolk, NCL-287030 Piercebridge, Durham, WMID865 Chaddesley, Worcestershire, HESH-8D3853 Harley, Shropshire and SWYOR-E383C6 Darrington, West Yorkshire ( a form of trumpet brooch) as well as possibly SWYOR-6F0D36 from Nottinghamshire). There are several other published examples which are examined briefly in a short note by Angie Bolton in the PAS Midlands Region Newsletter 4 - Spring 2006. Currently these are interpreted as lead forms for making moulds and may be evidence of brooch manufacture. A recently published example in MacKreth (2011: p5) notes a lead pattern for a Polden Hill Dolphin style brooch being found at Donnington, Salop (9825). The find of this new example of brooch pattern in the heart of the Severn Valley adds further evidence of the local nature of manufacture of this style of brooch. This creates a distinct 'Severn Valley distribution between this example from Cleobury Area and the other examples (Donnington, Harley and Chaddesley).It is possible that they could also be interpreted as miniature artefacts or votive models. In this case this example is highly unlikely to be this - but it should be noted that some are interpreted as such.
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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