BROOCH

Complete cast copper-alloy 'openwork' plate brooch of early Roman date (50-120 AD). The brooch is very well preserved being complete with hardly any abrasion or corrosion present; it has had no damage in plan or profile and is as near perfect as possible having survived the ground for nearly 2000 years.

The plate brooch is circular in plan and rectangular in cross section. The brooch takes the form of a wheel-like design, with an outer ring surrounding a central cross. At the centre of the brooch is a cast boss, this has a turned appearance. The upper surface of the boss is recessed with a slight rim on the outer edge, a knop or nipple rises to a peak at the centre. The four arms of the cross are even and of similar length, the axis is vertical with the arms being perpendicular. The external ring has a slight ridge at its centre and thickens to form a distinct rim at the edge. The openwork element is slightly irregular with each of the four panels being cut slightly unevenly. The edges of each openwork element are faceted or slightly angular. The internal edges are also irregular or slightly rough. On the reverse the open work edges are also slightly faceted, but no file or finishing marks are present. There is no evidence of decoration on the external face. The reverse face is also flat and undecorated. The hinge and catch-plate are both integrally cast and consist of small sub-rectangular elements. The hinge is pierced and the pin is attached with an iron axis bar. The pin is sub-rectangular in plan tapering from the hinge to a distinct point. The outer edge of the catch-plate is rolled over to form a U shaped pin rest - this is also complete. The pin would originally have lain directly behind the vertical axis of the wheel; it is now slightly distorted from true. The brooch has a mid green colour with an unusually well preserved patina that is hardly abraded by movement in the soil.

Several similar brooches are illustrated by Hattatt (2000: 343, nos. 1004 and 1005), who suggests they are an early form of plate brooch dating from the mid to late 1st century AD.

The brooch measures 34.7mm diameter, the plate is 6.7mm thick, the boss extends 3.6mm from the front of the brooch and the hinge and catchplate extend 5.1mm from the rear. The brooch weighs 9.89 grams.