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BROOCH
Unique ID: LANCUM-491283
Object type certainty: Possibly
Workflow
status: Published 
A complete silvered copper alloy Roman bow and fantail brooch dating to the first or second century AD. The brooch has short undecorated wings and a head loop. The pin axis bar is encased within the wings and the single hinged-pin extends down the bow's length to the catchplate. The catchplate survives complete. The bow of the brooch is arched and decorated with three vertical ribbed mouldings.The foot of the brooch is sub-triangluar in plan (hence the 'fantail' name) and contains decorated panel within a linear border. The panel decoration consists of an inverted pelta with tendrils below an open lozenge. Traces of red enamel survive within the fantail and much of the silver coating survives over the majority of the front of the brooch.
Two very similar (although not identical) brooches are illustrated by Mackreth (2011) plate 59 nos 2866 and 2861. Two identical brooches have been recorded on this database (DENO-57A5A6 and BERK-744773). Mackreth notes these brooches as having a main distribution stretching from Leicester and Norfolk, from where Mackreth terms this style of brooch the 'Nene Group', however they have been found elsewhere. Mackreth classifies this style of brooch as Type 7.B3. They have been found in contexts dating from the early to late second century as well as the third and fourth centuries (ibid. p91). However they are believed to have been manufactured from c. AD 50 - 150.
Class: Bow and fantail
Subsequent actions
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Chronology
Broad period: ROMAN
Subperiod from: Early
Period from: ROMAN
Subperiod to: Early
Period to: ROMAN
Date from: Circa AD 50
Date to: Circa AD 150
Dimensions and weight
Quantity: 1
Length: 39.9 mm
Width: 18.5 mm
Thickness: 1.5 mm
Weight: 6.22 g
Discovery dates
Date(s) of discovery: Sunday 1st June 2014
Personal details
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Materials and construction
Primary material: Copper alloy
Secondary material: Enamel
Manufacture method: Cast
Decoration style: Geometric
Completeness: Complete
Surface Treatment: Inlaid with enamel
Spatial metadata
Region: North West (European Region)County or Unitary authority: Cumbria (County)
District: South Lakeland (District)
To be known as: Silverdale
Spatial coordinates
Grid reference source: Centred on field
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 1 metre square.
References cited
No references cited so far.
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Timeline of associated dates
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