Rights Holder: Somerset County Council
CC License:
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Unique ID: SOM-8A3AC3
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation
Incomplete Roman cast copper-alloy equal ended plate brooch. The lower arm and pin are missing. The main plate is lozenge shaped. It is flat on the back with a recessed front within a raised border, in the centre of the front is a raised annulet with a recessed centre and a slight recessed circle around it. The recessed areas probably originally held enamel. The side corners of the plate are slightly worn with one bent back but they are complete. From the top of the plate projects an arm forming the head of the brooch. It is stepped back from the plate at the join then has a raised collar beyond which it expanded into a three lobed terminal with the lobes arranged in a cross shape. In the centre of the terminal and on the end of each lobe is a worn punched double ring. On the back of the arm, in the section before the terminal, are two semi-circular pin lugs with the remains of a cross bar between them which the pin would have hinged on. There would presumably have been a symmetrical arm projecting form the foot of the plate with the catchplate on the back, now missing due to an old break. It is 28.8mm long, 18.7mm wide and 6.5mm thick including the pin lugs, 3.0mm excluding them; it weighs 2.50 grams.
Bayley and Butcher (2004, 176) suggest this type dates to the second and early third century. It is a widespread type both in Britain and on the continent. Hattatt (2000:348) no.1581 from Kent is very similar even to the punched decoration on the terminal.
Class: Equal ended
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Broad period: ROMAN
Period from: ROMAN
Date from: Circa AD 100
Date to: Circa AD 225
Quantity: 1
Length: 28.8 mm
Width: 18.7 mm
Thickness: 6.5 mm
Weight: 2.5 g
Date(s) of discovery: Wednesday 5th January 2011
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Other reference: SCC 020621
Primary material: Copper alloy
Manufacture method: Cast
Completeness: Incomplete
Grid reference source: GPS (from the finder)
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 1 metre square.
Author | Publication Year | Title | Publication Place | Publisher | Pages | Reference | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bayley, J. and Butcher, S. | 2004 | Roman Brooches in Britain: A Technological and Typological Study Based on the Richborough Collection | London | The Society of Antiquaries | 176 | ||
Hattatt, R. | 2000 | A Visual Catalogue of Richard Hattatt's Ancient Brooches | Oxford | Oxbow Books | 348 | 1581 |