PIN

A complete small copper alloy quoit-headed pin of Middle Bronze Age date. It is undecorated and in a very good state of preservation, with traces of the original copper alloy colour still visible in places, but otherwise with a dark brown patina. The flat loop of the head has slightly rounded edges and is circular with a central sub-circular, or tear-drop shaped, perforation. The faces of the head and the upper areas of the stem demonstrate evidence of diagonal abrasions, possibly cleaning marks. One face of the loop has clear stepped cast edges on both the inner and outer edges as a result of the casting process. The stem itself is relatively flattened close to the head, but has a circular section and also demonstrates remnants of a longitudinal seam presumably also a result of the casting process. These seams are in common with outher examples of this type of pin. The pin measures 99.52mm in length, 25.54mm in external diameter at the head, 1.85mm in thickness at head, and weighs 9.97g. Quoit headed pins are generally dated to the Taunton phase of the Middle Bronze Age, or c.1500-1200 BC. However, the date for these smaller examples, which may be either decorated or undecorated, may be slightly earlier. About 50 examples are recorded and mostly restricted to southern England. In East Anglia, parallels to this example may be noted from Icklingham, North Stow, Lakenheath (SF-9909) and Coddenham in Suffolk, Whittlesea and Isleham (SF-9EE5A3) in Cambridgeshire, and Brettenham, Methwold (SF-4979) and Stradsett (NMS-6960B5) in Norfolk.