Rights Holder: Berkshire Archaeology
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Unique ID: SUR-1460B5
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Published
A Roman cast copper alloy zoomorphic brooch in the form of a leopard. The animal faces right; the head projects forward toward the viewer and has a projecting snout and upright ears. The eyes are formed by round pits. A narrow groove runs from the top of the head, down the nape to the upper back. Below the head are two stepped 'collars' both with closely-spaced radiating grooves. The extremities of the visible legs are missing. On the body are twelve round pits each infilled with red enamel. On the back are the stubs of the hinge and a flattened catch plate.
This brooch is a Continental import (probably Gaul) and they are rarely found in Britain. A small number of Roman leopard brooches have been recorded on the Portable Antiquities Scheme database, eg Isle of Wight (IOW-1402E8); Little Waltham, Essex (CAM-925392) and Bradfield Combust with Stanningfield, Suffolk (SF9384).
This is a find of note and has been designated: Potential for inclusion in Britannia
Class: Zoomorphic (leopard)
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Broad period: ROMAN
Period from: ROMAN
Date from: Exactly AD 100
Date to: Circa AD 200
Quantity: 1
Length: 34.56 mm
Width: 18.87 mm
Thickness: 12.15 mm
Weight: 8.38 g
Date(s) of discovery: Sunday 19th August 2012
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Other reference: B12-420
Primary material: Copper alloy
Manufacture method: Cast
Completeness: Incomplete
Surface Treatment: Inlaid with enamel
4 Figure: SU4984
Four figure Latitude: 51.552767
Four figure longitude: -1.294672
1:25K map: SU4984
1:10K map: SU48SE
Grid reference source: Generated from computer mapping software
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 1 metre square.
No references cited so far.