BROOCH

A nearly complete cast copper alloy Roman P-shaped brooch of the Rosette/Thistle Type, dating to the 1st century AD (c. 25-60 AD). The brooch is in two pieces. The larger segment consists of a cylindrical spring cover, spring head and pin, arched and ribbed bow, at least one moulded side lug, decorated rosette and a portion of the vertical catchplate; the smaller segment consists of a fluted foot with the remaining portion of the vertical catchplate.

The covered cylindrical spring head measures 45.17 mm long and 10.17 mm in diameter. It is nearly complete, with only a small portion of the covering missing and a potentially complete spring and pin; with the pin measuring approximately 79.38 mm in length (tip slightly bent). There is no end covering to the cylindrical hooded spring cover, although this element may have existed. The arched bow is incised with parallel vertically running ribs which stop at a plain collar and a semi-circular pad with intricately stamped circle-and-dot design followed by zigzag 'rays' splaying out within the semi-circular space. This portion of the brooch, as the most substantially decorated and weighted, seems to have punched through the thinner circular plate segment when lying in situ. Within the arch of the bow, held in place by the subsequent rosette/thistle decorative plate, there are the remains of an intact bolt with moulded onion-shaped knobs (cf. Hattatt 1989, Fig. 16, No. 1471 from France). In Hattatt (ibid.) these types of bolts are held in place by a spring. Because the rest of the bow arch above and below this central moulded bolt is filled with compacted soil, it is impossible to verify whether a thinner bolt above and below the larger one remains or whether the spring mechanisms are intact; after light cleaning, however, it does seem that some narrow metal component is intact at least under the central bolt.

Following the incised decoration described above, the brooch body is further constructed with the sub-circular rosette plate, which is circular except for the straight edged upper edge, which facilitates its connection to the bottom of the cylindrical hood and upper bow area. The sub-circular plate does not seem to be decorated save for two incised grooves that may have followed the circumference of the plate edge, now mostly missing. There is a break at the bottom of these grooves which connects the second segment. The second brooch segment consists of the fluted brooch foot, which does not seem to follow the same ribbing as above on the bow. The bottom of the foot may be slightly broken, but seems to be largely complete. Because of the high level of corrosion and compacted soil it is difficult to discern the characteristics of the vertical catchplate, measuring approximately 47.25 mm in length. The larger brooch segment measures 63.9 mm total length; 49.6 mm x 44.5 mm (length x width circular plate); 16.6 mm (max.) thickness; and weighs 54.59 grams. The smaller segment measures 31.8 mm long; 21.1 mm wide; 5 mm thick and weighs 4.38 grams.

Discussion:

The construction of this brooch is very elaborate and seems to be comprised of at least five different elements: the spring cover, bow, and semi-circular decorated pad are cast in one piece; the brooch may have had a separate foot that was attached to the brooch body; as demonstrated by the punching through of the larger segment, the circular rosette disc is also a separate segment, which was beaten into place over the centre decorative pad; elements to the bolt assembly and placement; and the spring and pin (cf. Hattatt 1989, p34). In addition, cf. Hattatt 1987, Fig. 19, No. 788.

According to Bayley and Butcher Rosette/thistle brooches 'have a wide distribution in Gaul and on the German frontier but are also represented in southern Britain....It may be that they were going out of use by the time of the conquest, although several have been found in post-conquest deposits in Britain....' (p150)