BROOCH

An incomplete cast copper alloy brooch. The wings are cylindrical with a slot in the centre revealing a copper alloy axis bar. The hinged pin which would have been fixed to the axis bar is missing. The bow head is hump-like, and angular in profile. Integral to the upper edge of the bow head thereis an elongated perforated lug. The upper portion of the bow is sub-rectangular in plan and in section. This portion is decorated with two vertical rectagnular cells which have traces of enamel within them. The mid point of the bow there is a moulded acanthus with a collar above and below. The lower portion of the brooch is tranilaur in section and is otherwise undecorated. The revrse ofthelower portion of the brooch has an integral complete, solid catchplate. The bow terminates with an outwardly flared foot which is slightly bulbous and has a collar above. The surface of the brooch has a light-mid green/brown patina. The lower portion of the bow is slightly twisted, this is not intentional. The brooch measures 45.69mm long, 19.3mm wide and weighs 8.9g.

The brooch is probably a T-shaped type brooch. Hattatt (Hattat, R 1985 Iron Age and Roman Brooches Oxbow) illustrates a similar example, No. 401 and dates it to the 1st to 2nd centuries. 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. 159) comment that these brooches were probably manufactured in the West Country and date msinly to the Flavian period (69-96 AD) with an example dating from 55 AD in Somerset.