Rights Holder: Birmingham Museums Trust
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Unique ID: WMID-D81166
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Published
An incomplete cast copper alloy skeuomorphic plate brooch, in the shape of an Axe, of Roman dating (2nd Century AD).
Approximately 75% of the brooch is present, consisting of the plate, catch plate, and spring. The pin is incomplete.
The brooch is in the shape of an axe, with a rectangular handle. The axe head has a straight upper edge and the lower edge is concave, flaring to a point on both the 'cutting' edge and the 'butt' edge, both of which are straight. The front surface of the brooch is decorated with cells which are filled with enamel. The handle forms one cell, the upper part of the axe head another, and within the axe head there is a crescent-shaped cell at the lower edge. The handle which projects above the axe blade also has a fourth cell. The cells on the handle and the axe head are filled with red enamel & possibly a blue enamel.
On the reverse, behind the axe head, there are twin lugs securing an axis bar around which the spring articulates. The spring has three turns with an internal chord and the pin is broken and missing. At the base of the handle, again on the reverse, is the catchplate which is intact.
The brooch measures 28.11 mm in length, 21.77 mm wide and 6.76 mm thick. It weighs 3.1 grams.
The brooch has a mid to dark green uneven patina. In a couple of areas, the patina has been removed, revealing a lighter green colour. These areas should be monitored for signs of active copper corrosion occurring (bright green powdery residue). To reduce this from happening, the brooch should be stored in an air tight sealed dry box, such as a Stewart box, with acid free tissue and silica gel.
Several similar brooches have been recorded on the PAS database including: LEIC-506558, SWYOR-C59145, BERK-5219E7, HAMP-261043, NLM-6A1F26, WILT-5E7041, SOM-F69267, SF-042714, SUR-E1F317, IOW-7B31B2, WAW-9ECBE1, LIN-D00147, LIN-D004F2 and GLO-C98155.
Johns (1996,178) comments that axes are a type of object associated with different cults. The axe-shaped plate brooches may be used in the same as Medieval pilgrim badges, and are therefore associated with a shrine. Hattatt (1987, 220) states that while not common, Axe brooches are known all over the Roman empire, in plain bronze or with engraved decoration, or enamelled, and date mainly to the second half of the second century AD. In form there are two main types. A simple axe shape with a plain straight shaft and the double-axe form with an axe-head at each end. The former shape is widely spread right across the empire from Britain to Doura-Europus in Roman Syria. The latter are concentrated mainly in the German area of Limes.
References:
Hattatt, R. 1987. Brooches of Antiquity. Oxford.
Johns, C. 1996. The Jewellery of Roman Britain. UCL Press.
This is a find of note and has been designated: Regional importance
Class:
skeuomorphic plate
Sub class: axe
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Broad period: ROMAN
Period from: ROMAN
Period to: ROMAN
Date from: Circa AD 100
Date to: Circa AD 200
Quantity: 1
Length: 28.11 mm
Width: 21.77 mm
Thickness: 6.76 mm
Weight: 3.1 g
Date(s) of discovery: Saturday 11th February 2012
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Other reference: Finder's ref: 5
Primary material: Copper alloy
Secondary material: Enamel
Manufacture method: Cast
Completeness: Incomplete
Surface Treatment: Inlaid with enamel
4 Figure: SP9480
Four figure Latitude: 52.409938
Four figure longitude: -0.619521
1:25K map: SP9480
1:10K map: SP98SW
Grid reference source: From finder
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 1 metre square.
No references cited so far.