BROOCH

An incomplete copper-alloy Roman Colchester derivative rear hook bow brooch. It is missing both of its wings due to old breaks, perhaps the result of deliberate breakage of the brooch, although this is uncertain. At the head of the brooch is an integrally cast, rear facing rectangular lug, and on the underside of the head the top of the bow has a semi-circular moulding where it meets the wings. The bow itself is oval in section, with faceted sides on the back face, tapering to a rounded foot. It has decoration on the front face comprising a central vertical rib formed from three smaller ribs separated by narrow grooves, the central of the three ribs having multiple transverse notches. To each side of the central rib the bow has broader grooves or flutes that run fom either side of the rear hook the length of the brooch and retain an added white metal coating. On the back face of the foot is an integrally cast catchplate that is triangular in form and missing its outer edger due to old breaks. The entire object has a dark green patina that is pitted in places. It measures 57.45mm in length, 13.61mm in width at wings, 9.32mm in width at bow, 6.35mm in thickness at bow, and 22.47g in weight.

This is an incomplete, and potentially deliberately broken(?), Colchester derivative bow brooch. It is probably a rear hook bow brooch (e.g. Mackreth, 2012: plates 38-41), although given the missing wings a Polden Hill or variant cannot be ruled out entirely. In either case, it is of 1st century AD date, c.43-70 AD.