BROOCH

An incomplete cast copper-alloy and enamelled Roman zoomorphic leopard brooch (AD 100- AD 200).
This brooch is moulded at the front and flat at the rear.
The leopard appears to be standing (rather than running) to the right. It has been made with three legs and has a slightly arched body in plan. The head is relatively large, is turned through 90° to the body and faces forward (passant guardant). It is triangular in plan and side view, 9.1 mm in width and 12.1mm in thickness (depth), flat at the top and slightly convex in places at the sides. Small ears point upwards and there is a groove between them. The mouth is a small horizontal groove. Both eyes are circular cells for decorative material and measure 1.2mm in diameter. The left cell is empty and the right cell is filled with an off-white and light green substance, possibly copper-alloy corrosion or decayed enamel.
The leopard's body narrows towards the centre and then flares towards the hind quarters. The body is 7.2mm high and 5.1mm thick at the centre. Each leg is short and simplistic, ending with a sharp point. Both forelegs are splayed outwards and the rear leg is curved towards the forelegs. The tail is curled around the body and extends horizontally towards the head, curving downwards at the end.
Decoration at the front of the body consists of ten circular cells about 2.0mm in diameter. These are filled, or partially filled with decayed enamel. Three are situated obliquely, mid-way along the body. There are seven on the hind quarters, four above the tail and three below. The enamel in the cells is alternately coloured rust reddish brown and off-white with a green tinge. Originally, the colours may have been red and green (or possibly blue).
There are two pin lugs and a catch-plate at the rear of the brooch. The parallel copper-alloy lugs, situated at the hind quarters end, are 'D'-shaped in side view. Both measure 5.3mm in length and protrude 6.1mm. They have a combined thickness of 4.7mm. The perforations are filled with a corroded copper-alloy bar to secure the pin loop. Between the lugs there are the corroded remains of a copper-alloy pin loop but the shaft of the pin is missing. The incomplete copper-alloy catch-plate is situated just above the forelegs. It is 'D'-shaped in side view and is 6.3mm in length, protrudes 5.8mm and has a thickness of 1.7mm. The curled-over part that retained the pin tip is missing.
This brooch is without a patina and the surface colour is drab reddish brown, where it is not obscured by light green copper-alloy corrosion products.
Height: 20.9mm; length: 31.8mm; thickness: 16.2mm. Weight: 12.99g.
The brooch is a Continental import (probably Gaul) and they are rarely found in Britain. Some leopard brooches are classified as being female due to them having udders. However, this Isle of Wight find does not possess them. Consequently, it may be male.
Roman leopard brooches have been recorded on the Portable Antiquities Scheme database. See, finds from Little Waltham Parish, Essex (CAM-925392) and Bradfield Combust with Stanningfield Parish, Suffolk (SF9384).