BROOCH

A worn and incomplete Late Iron Age to Roman copper-alloy Rosette brooch of complex riveted (Léontomorphe) type, c.25-65 AD. It is missing half of the spring casing, spring, pin, as well as the central rosette and foot due to old breaks. The spring case is cylindrical in form, missing its rear edge due to old breaks and with a transverse groove where it joins the bow. Extending forwards from the spring case is a short and integrally cast bow in the form of a very stylised crouching lion (sphinx) facing towards the now missing foot of the brooch. It has rounded, projecting hind quarters, a narrow waist with slight transverse ridge, followed by a rounded and projecting head with transverse groove at the base of the fragment. It is D-shaped in section and on the back face of the head end has the remains of an integral rivet that would have enabled attachment of the now missing rosette and foot. The entire object has very worn and pitted surfaces with traces of a dark brown patina. It measures 21.52mm in length, 23.03mm in width at wings, 8.17mm in width at bow, 6.87mm in maximum thickness at bow, and weighs 3.35g.

Similar parallels to this brooch are noted in Suffolk from Hacheston (Blagg et al., 2004: pp. 92-93, nos. 55-56) and in Hattatt (1989: nos. 280, 1466). These indicate a 1st century AD date for the current example, probably c.25-65 AD.