BROOCH

An incomplete cast copper alloy Roman brooch of Colchester derivative, Polden Hill (Mackreth Group 4, flat wing ends type), cf.Mackreth 2011, 4.l. Plate 48. The wings are semi-cylindrical with perforated wing caps at each terminal. Through the perforations there is an incomplete copper alloy axis bar. Around the axis bar, a fragment of the spring is coiled 4 times. The exterior coil then goes on to form the now incomplete horizontal chord. The pin is missing. Above the wings on the sides of the head there are semi-circular mouldings which are a characteristic feature of this brooch type. The wings are undecorated. In the centre of the upper edge of the wings there is an integral hook which supports the chord. The bowhead is hump-like in profile and is semi-circular in section. The bow head and bow are decorated with a triple stranded vertical ridges. The bow terminaes with a bulbous foot which has a collar above it. The catchplate is almost complete and solid. The surface of the brooch has an incomplete well developed green/brown patina. It measures 56.62mm long, 23.6mm wide and weighs 16.8g.

The brooch is a Polden Hill type, which probably dates to c. 80 to 120 AD (Worrell, S. 2007 'Roman Brooch Timeline' North-West PAS Newsletter). Bayley and Butcher (Bayley and Butcher, 2004 Roman Brooches in Britain: A technological and Typological Study Based on the Richborough Collection Society of Antiquaries p. 160) comment that the distribution of Polden Hill brooches are concentrated in the West Midlands.