BROOCH

An incomplete cast copper-alloy Anglo-Saxon cruciform brooch. Half of the headplate and the bow survive, the remainder of the object now missing due to old breaks. The head has a central rectangular panel at the top edge of which is an integrally cast knob. This is half-round with concave back face, semi-circular head, narrow neck and expanded collar decorated with double transverse grooves on the collar and single groove at the base of the head. At the top centre of the knob are the possible remains of an incomplete terminal projection of uncertain form. The central panel of the headplate has decoration comprising double bands of punched double semi-circles running up each side of the panel. From one edge of the central panel extends an integral, flaring triangular wing, perhaps missing parts of its outer edge due to old breaks. This has decoration on its front face comprising double bands of punched double semi-circles at top and bottom edges, with a broadly spaced double band of punched double semi-circles at the inner edge. A second similar wing presumably extended from the opposite side of the headplate, but this is now missing due to old breaks. On the back of the head is an integrally cast pin lug of uncertain form with the corroded remains of an iron spring/pin. Extending from the base of the head is the integral bow. This is rectangular in form, curved in profile and with a concave back face. It has flattened rectangular panels at top and bottom, the bow between being faceted with a central vertical rib that has an incomplete square projection at its centre. The front face of the bow is decorated with single bands of punched semi-circles that run up both sides and the central rib. The brooch terminates in old breaks at the base of the bow. It measures 64.80mm in length, 36.59mm in width at headplate, 15.77mm in width at bow, 5.99mm in thickness at bow, and 32.09g in weight.

This is an incomplete Early-Medieval/Anglo-Saxon long brooch, probably a cruciform brooch. It finds parallels in examples published from Suffolk (e.g. West, 1998: nos. 1.1-2, 18.1, 18.4, 24.9, 41.2, 106.2-4, 107, 129.10 or 130.1-3) and is of probable 5th-6th century AD date, c.480-550 AD.