BROOCH

An incomplete cast copper alloy Colchester One Piece brooch, dating to the 1st century BC – 1st century AD, between 100 BC – AD 50 (length: 42.5mm; width at spring: 15mm; thickness/ depth: 23.5mm; weight: 7.0g).

This Colchester One Piece brooch can be classified as a Group ‘c’: a small brooch with a simple curved bow and sometimes decoration down the centre, as discussed by Bayley & Butcher (2004; page 61) (see bibliographical details below). At the top of the brooch, short and flat wings (length: 3mm; width: 4mm; thickness: 0.4mm) appear either side of the bow, with the cast copper alloy spring integrally formed from the bottom of the head and continues to form four turns to the spring mechanism behind the wings. Additionally, a single lug holds the chord in place above the spring and the probable cast copper alloy axis bar is still visible. None of the pin survives. The undecorated bow has a slightly distorted arch and tapers from a width of 5mm near the wings to 1.5mm at the incomplete and broken opposing end. A slight ridge at the back of the brooch is all that remains of the copper alloy catch plate. Overall, the brooch is in a slightly worn but fair condition with a dark green patina.

Similar examples of Group ‘c’ Colchester One Piece brooches are illustrated in Bayley, J & Butcher, S, 2004, ‘Roman Brooches in Britain: A Technological and Typological Study based on the Richborough Collection’, pages 61-4, fig 46, ref nos 54-60.