Rights Holder: St. Albans District Council
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Unique ID: BH-77ED3C
Object type certainty: Certain
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status: Published
A Roman copper-alloy disc brooch.
The circular brooch is of flat section and has a cast geometric design in its upper surface, the cells defined by low, flat-topped ridges. This pattern takes the form of a ten-pointed star or stylised flower head, with a circular setting at the centre and a single pellet within each triangle. Traces of blue enamel survive within the area between the star and the outer rim, and also within a few of the points of the star; the inner field of the star retains much of its yellow enamel inset, with an unidentified colour in the central circle. The hinge and catchplate are located at opposite ends of the otherwise flat reverse. The hinge now comprises a single right-angled lug, although a second such lug may have been lost. Part of an iron axis bar and copper-alloy chord survive, the former contained within the lug's perforation. The catchplate also forms a right-angle with the underside of the disc, its upper end deliberately bent over.
Dimensions: 22.1mm long, 21mm wide, 1.5mm thick. Weight: 3.11g.
Enamelled disc brooches of this form probably date from the late 1st to mid 3rd centuries AD. Similar examples recorded on the PAS database include BH-10E197, BH-539E42 and BH-63D376.
Class: Flat, enamelled disc
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Broad period: ROMAN
Period from: ROMAN
Date from: Circa AD 80
Date to: Circa AD 250
Quantity: 1
Length: 22.1 mm
Width: 21 mm
Thickness: 1.5 mm
Weight: 3.11 g
Date(s) of discovery: Saturday 15th February 2014
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Other reference: Ver 14/68 - 6
Primary material: Copper alloy
Manufacture method: Cast
Completeness: Incomplete
Surface Treatment: Inlaid with enamel
No references cited so far.