BROOCH

A complete copper-alloy rectangular possible brooch frame with attached in situ copper-alloy pin.

The rectangular frame measures 46mm in length and 35mm in width externally and 32mm in internal length and 19mm in internal width. The frame does expand widen towards the outer edge. The frame is hollow on its back face with a depth of c2mm. It is unclear if the back face was always hollow or originally perhaps filled with another material- now missing.

The front face of the frame has an incised inscription. This inscription is unusual begins with a rosette and appears to read,'AVE MARIA RIAS PR(rossette) MEL.' This inscription does not appear to any complete latin prayer, for example it does not say 'AVE MARIA GRACIA PLENA'-'Hail Mary full of grace,' the most common prayer to be expected. It therefore seems likely that the inscription is blundered, perhaps a combination of two prayers or copied incorrectly by the craftsman who inscribed it. It may be that it is meant to say 'AVE MARIA ORA PRO MEI' - 'Hail Mary pray for me.' In which case the 'RIAS' is completely wrong and the rossette inbetween the 'R' and the 'M' is meant to represent an 'O', furthermore the 'L' in 'MEL' may be a blundered 'I.'

The bar of the frame is only narrowed very slightly but is not offset. The pin is complete and consists of a sheet of copper-alloy rolled around itself and attached to the bar of the frame via an open loop. It measures 45mm in length and 3mm in width and the open loop is c7mm in width.

No exact parallel could be found for this possible brooch frame. There is a possiblity that it could be a buckle, rather than a brooch frame, for example if the hollow back of the frame had been filled with iron it would have been stronger and could then have concievably been used as a buckle. However, in its current hollow state it is perhaps more likely to be a brooch frame as it is not particularly strong. Brooches and buckles of a similar style with similar lettering and religious inscriptions have been found, they and this example are medieval and c13th -14th century in date. This is further supported by the discovery in the same area of 13th-14th century medieval coarseware sherds.