BROOCH

An incomplete cast copper alloy button brooch of Early-Medieval (Anglo-Saxon) date (c. 500-50), missing its pin and possibly part of the pin lug. In plan, the brooch is circular and has an upturned rim giving the plate the depth of 2.08mm. The rim, damaged and missing in one place, flares outwards at an angle of about 135°.

The upper surface of the brooch is decorated with a central chip-carved anthropomorphic forward facing mask. The 'helmet' (or possibly hair) consists of two triangles, their outer edges following the curve of the inside of the rim, either side of a central narrow rectangle. Below the eyebrows and nose are formed of a single T-shaped element, the eyebrows with a slight curve to them. One eye is a quarter of a circle in shape, in the angle of the nose and eyebrow, with a curving line and curving area below representing the cheeks. This is truncated below by the double horizontal line representing the mouth. To the other side of the nose, the second eye is a line, with a straight line and straight area behind it (in contrast the those curving on the other side of the nose).

The rear face of the brooch is flat and c.18mm in diameter. The pin lug is positioned at 3 o'clock to the front of the face. The rectangular catch-plate is positioned at 9 o'clock.

The brooch measures 20.96mm in diameter at the top of the rim and 16.05mm across the flat chip-carved face. Including the catchplate, the brooch has a thickness of 8.64. It weighs 3.81g.

Button brooches are distinguished by their small size and by the anthropomorphic face-masks which they feature. They may have been used in different ways as dress fasteners. It is thought that they may have been used singly rather than in pairs like the similar but larger saucer brooches. Button brooches are found throughout much of southern England and date between the later fifth and mid-sixth centuries. Seiichi Suzuki comments "I would subsume the brooch under class E1 (a rather degenerate variant), while the classification as class G (an early variant) cannot be ruled out. As may be recalled, these two classes are adjacent in genealogical terms, with class E1 preceding class G. The dating, which is just a rough estimation, would be at the early 6th century" (pers.comm. July 2013)

Reference: Suzuki, S, 2008; Anglo Saxon Button Brooches Typology, Genealogy, Chronology.