Cite record | Embed record | Print | | Report
Bow brooch
Unique ID: NMGW-DF9A56
Object type certainty:
Roman complete bow brooch of T-shaped type, with serrated sides and probably of 2nd century AD date. The brooch has a hinge mechanism with tubular wings. The wings are slightly angled to the rear, and decorated on the front with vertical mouldings. The bow is broad at the head and the sides converge to a very slender foot knob. The bow has a D-shaped section and for most the length of the bow, the sides are finely serrated, forming small triangles. On the head are two damaged lugs or crests, these tended to portray recumbent dogs on true Sawfish types. The lower crest remnant is possibly a chain loop, and tended to be formed from the dog’s tail, although on this example the crests appear too slender (1-1.5mm thick). Beneath the crest is a sub-triangular cell containing red enamel, leading to a column of four chevrons, which grow smaller as they approach the foot. The chevrons are flanked on either side by triangular cells, which would have probably contained red enamel.
Notes:
This brooch shares characteristics of both types of brooches with serrated bows, Hull’s types 144 and 145. The general character incorporating fine edge serration, a slender head crest (or chord lug), confined enamel panel and a foot knob are closest to Hull’s Type 144. The brooch differs however in the mechanism, which here is a hinge and in Type 144 is akin to Polden Hill spring gear in addition to the possible presence of a chain loop. The Swordfish (Hull 145) has a hinge mechanism but the serrated teeth are more widely spaced, the enamelled panel covers more of the bow and the foot has an angled circular knob. Overall, this brooch can be seen as a variant of Hull’s type 144.
Class: T-shaped variant
Subsequent actions
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Chronology
Broad period: ROMAN
Period from: ROMAN [scope notes | view all attributed records]
Period to: ROMAN [scope notes | view all attributed records]
Date from: Circa AD 100
Date to: Circa AD 200
Dimensions and weight
Length: 46.5 mm
Width: 26.6 mm
Thickness: 16.4 mm
Weight: 12.2 g
Quantity: 1
Materials and construction
Primary material: Copper alloy [scope notes | view all attributed records]
Manufacture method: Cast [scope notes | view all attributed records]
Surface Treatment: Inlaid with enamel [scope notes | view all attributed records]
Spatial data
Region: South West
County: Wiltshire
District: North Wiltshire
Parish: Grittleton
Method of discovery: Metal detector
[scope notes]
General landuse: Cultivated land [scope notes]
Discovery dates
Date(s) of discovery: Sunday 1st February 2004
Personal details
Found by: This information is restricted for your login.
Identified by: Mr Mark Lodwick - [view all attributed records]
Other reference numbers
Other reference: NMGWPA 2004.41.2
References cited
QR barcode
If you have a mobile phone equipped with QR recognition software, you can go directly to the webpage that this record resides at. Every record has an individual one of these.
Spotted a mistake? Tell us. | Be the first to comment
Comment on this artefact's record
Data entered via this form is checked against the akismet service to recognise spam.
Audit data
Created:
Tuesday 9th March 2004
Updated: Thursday 24th February 2011
Social Bookmarking: 
