Rights Holder: Isle of Wight Council
CC License: 
Image use policy
Our images can be used under a CC BY attribution licence (unless stated otherwise).
BROOCH
Unique ID: IOW-DBD5A1
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Published 
An incomplete cast copper alloy and gilded saucer brooch of Early Early-Medieval (Anglo-Saxon) date (c. AD 400 - c. AD 600. Diameter: 27.2mm; thickness: 5.2mm. Weight: 6.99g. Most of the rim is missing due to corrosion and old breaks. Part of the pin lug and part of the catch-plate are missing due to old breaks. The pin is also missing. The raised decoration at the front consists of a central pentagonal boss enclosed by five evenly spaced running spirals with a concentric circle near the perimeter. On the rear face the surviving part of the pin lug is rectangular in side profile and only about half of the perforation for the axis bar is evident. The catch-plate has a length of 6.4mm and width throughout its length of 1.9mm. Only a stub of the catch-plate has survived and this measures 7.0mm in length and about 2.0mm in width. The brooch is severely corroded and in poor condition. Traces of gilding are discernable on the front only. Both faces have a deposit of iron corrosion although this may not be related to an iron pin as the pin lug itself is free of iron corrosion. Due to corrosion and loss of material it is not possible to determine whether this brooch was furnished with angular or an upturned rim. There is no evidence for burning or melting. A number of similar saucer brooches with running spirals are shown in MacGregor and Bolick 1993, 42-45. MacGregor and Bolick comment that brooches of this type were produced characteristically as single castings, whose dished forms give rise to their name. Normally, women (and, occasionally, young girls) wore them in pairs at the shoulder or the breast.
Find of note status
This has been noted as an interesting find by the recorder.
Class:
cast saucer
Sub class: five spiral
Subsequent actions
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Chronology
Broad period: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Subperiod from: Early
Period from: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Subperiod to: Early
Period to: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 400
Date to: Circa AD 600
Dimensions and weight
Quantity: 1
Thickness: 5.2 mm
Weight: 6.99 g
Diameter: 27.2 mm
Discovery dates
Date(s) of discovery: Sunday 17th February 2008
Personal details
This information is restricted for your access level.
Other reference numbers
Other reference: IOW2008-1-116
Materials and construction
Primary material: Copper alloy
Secondary material: Gold
Completeness: Incomplete
Surface Treatment: Gilded
Spatial metadata
Region: South East (European Region)County or Unitary authority: Isle of Wight (Unitary Authority)
District: Isle of Wight (Unitary Authority)
To be known as: Isle of Wight
Spatial coordinates
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 1 metre square.
References cited
| Author | Publication Year | Title | Publication Place | Publisher | Pages | Reference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MacGregor, A. and Bolick, E. | 1993 | A summary catalogue of the Anglo-Saxon collections (non-ferrous metals), Ashmolean Museum, Oxford | Oxford | Tempvs Reparatum | 42-45 |
Similar objects
Find number: SUSS-E9C101
Object type: BROOCH
Broadperiod: EARLY MEDIEVAL
An incomplete cast copper alloy and gilded saucer brooch of Early Medieval (Anglo-Saxon) date (c. AD 400 - c. AD 600). Diameter: 41.7mm; thic…
Workflow: Awaiting validation
Find number: SUSS-5C6A12
Object type: BROOCH
Broadperiod: EARLY MEDIEVAL
An incomplete gilded copper alloy early Early-Medieval (430-550) cast saucer brooch, with damage to the flan, catchplate and lugs on the reve…
Workflow: Awaiting validation
Find number: IOW-0D0268
Object type: BROOCH
Broadperiod: EARLY MEDIEVAL
An incomplete Early-Medieval (Anglo-Saxon) copper-alloy saucer brooch (c. 450-c. 550).
The upward angled rim, the pin lug and the catch-pl…
Workflow: Awaiting validation
Timeline of associated dates
About Us
About our Site
Find us
The British Museum, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG.
T: +44(0) 20 73238618