BROOCH

A decorated cast, copper-alloy plate brooch of the early Roman period. The brooch is pelta-shaped, with a broad body in which the central upright and the tipped wings of the pelta all face upward (the brooch is almost a complete circular disc, with small sub-circular cutouts that make the pelta shape). The central upright has a flattened circular terminal with a small circular cavity in the centre. The wing-tips also have circular terminals (half as large as that of the upright) with central cavities. Around the edge of the body, there is a small circular lug every 45 degrees. The body is also slightly convex. The body is decorated in relief with swirling plant motif to either side of a central row that is ladder-shaped. There is also an outer border of dogtooth. Some of the cells of the dogtooth have blue enamel, and some of the cells of the central ladder have orange enamel. There are small traces of blue enamel in the side panels, and perhaps also of white enamel. The reverse has retained the lug and hinge pin, which is humped inward and corroded in place. The catchplate is positioned beneath the central upright, but it has lost the hooked catch for the pin, leaving only the plate.