BROOCH

A Roman copper-alloy umbonate disc brooch.

The domed central area of the brooch is decorated with two concentric rings of inward-pointing triangular cells, both filled with an alternating pattern of blue and either red or orange insets. The inner ring of settings surrounds a circular depression. A rim with inner groove extends around the circumference. A cruciform arrangement of right-angled lugs projects outwards from this rim, the wider upper lug perforated to form the now-damaged chain loop. The two lugs of the hinge project backwards from behind this chain loop, an axis bar holding in place the copper-alloy pin, which is missing its point. The right-angled catchplate is located behind the basal lug.

Height: 32.5mm; width: 27.3mm; depth: 10.8mm. Weight: 5.63g.

Two parallels for this brooch were found at Richborough (Bayley and Butcher 2004: fig. 99, nos. 382 and 383). The Richborough brooches were dated to the 1st century AD, based on the discovery of a parallel at Wroxeter, which was found with coins of Vespasian. The authors also cite as dating evidence the presence of umbonate disc brooches in Scottish forts occupied during the advance of Agricola in the late 1st century, and their absence from early 2nd century sites on Hadrian's Wall (ibid. 173). The generally accepted date range for these brooches, however, is 2nd to mid 3rd century AD.