BROOCH

An incomplete Roman (AD 150-250) copper alloy knee brooch of the tubular headed type, with spring mechanism and missing its lower bow and horizontal catchplate. It measures 26.55mm in length and weighs 6.44g.

The wings are tubular and C-shaped in profile, with a circular lug at either end, measuring 18.10mm. The chord passes under the spring, within the tubular housing. The pin, and possibly one coil, is missing. A concretion of some kind (presumably metal) covers much of the spring.

The bow extends in an accentuated curve. It is rectangular in section and measures 10.64x2.29mm in front of the wings, with a ridge flanking the join. The bow narrows to 8.36x1.97mm at its base, with another ridge, before narrowing and curving backwards into the lower bow, where there is an old, worn break (6.29x1.60mm).

Knee brooches are described by Bayley & Butcher (2004 Roman Brooches in Britain: A technological and Typological Study Based on the Richborough Collection Society of Antiquaries, page 179) as Late Bow Brooches and are a continental type, best known from the forts of the German limes. The authors state that knee brooches were also found in forts in Britain but have a wider distribution; 'some types seem to be British products and to be decorative rather than utilitarian'. Knee brooches date from 150 - 250 AD (Worrell, S. 2007 'Roman Brooch Timeline' North-West PAS Newsletter). Cf.Hattatt 2007, A Visual Catalogue of Richard Hattatt's Ancient Brooches, fig.194 no.1227. Hattatt comments this is of Hull's Type 175 and native to Britain.