BROOCH

A cast copper alloy Colchester Two-Piece brooch. The bow head and wings are incorporated together and in plan the bow head is a horizontal oval. On the reverse there is a rectangular shaped cell bordered on the sides by an integral semi-circular lug. Each lug has a central hole through which an iron axis bar is situated. The bar is corroded. Around the bar there is the remains of a spring, there are five coils to the spring, but some of the coils are incomplete. This pin is missing. The upper edge of the bow head has an integral sub-rectangular protrusion with a broken upper edge. This protrusion is decorated with two transverse horizontal grooves. Originally this protrusion would have been an integral loop. The bow quickly narrows beneath the bow head. The bow is an elongated oval in section and only a short portion remains before it is broken. The break is not recent as the patina covers the break and matches the surface of the brooch. The brooch has a well developed light green coloured patina. It weighs 23.05g, and measures 32.65mm wide and 33.4mm long. The brooch is a Colchester Two-Piece brooch, a Trumpet-headed type. Trumpet brooches date to the 1st to 2nd century (Bayley, J. and Butcher, S. 2004 Roman Brooches in Britain: A Technological and Typological Study based on the Richborough Collection Society of Antiquaries p. 160-164).