SWYOR-829E3F: Early Medieval cloisonne enamel disc brooch

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BROOCH

Unique ID: SWYOR-829E3F

Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow status: Awaiting validation Find awaiting validation

An Early Medieval cloisonné disc brooch of 10th to 11th century date. The circular brooch has 7 evenly spaced semi-circular lobes projecting around the edge. They are decorated with a spherical bead of blue glass on each, some surrounded by a ring of white probably corrosion product.

The centre of the brooch is decorated with a floral motif of interlocking wire cells filled with enamel. There is a lozenge shaped setting at the centre, filled with a green enamel with some white corrosion product. Four petals surround, which are comprised of 'heart-shaped' gilded wire settings, filled with light blue enamel. The remainder of the circular decorative zone is filled with dark blue enamel, held in place by a raised copper alloy border. The colours of the enamel are given as they appear today, however they may not be the original colours of enamel due to corrosion which can cause the pigments of the enamel to degrade.

The reverse of the brooch has the remains of the applied hinge lug and catchplate. The surface has a very dark green-black patina. The brooch has a diameter of 31.1mm and has a maximum, thickness of 7.8mm. The circular plate is 19.8mm diameter and 5.2mm thick. 7.65g. Another brooch of the same deisgn is HAMP-0F7312 which notes that: "Similar brooches can be seen in Buckton 'Late 10th- and 11th-century cloisonne enamel brooches' in Medieval Archaeology (1986) Volume 30". Laura Burnett adds that brooch of this type are called Saunderton type, and it is the most common type found in Britain, though there is a lot of variety in the design and the number of lobes.

Find of note status

This is a find of note and has been designated: County / local importance

Class: cloisonné enamelled (Weetch Type 20)
Sub class: Saunderton type (Weetch Type 20.A)

Subsequent actions

Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder

Chronology

Broad period: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Subperiod from: Late
Period from: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Period to: MEDIEVAL
Ascribed Culture: Anglo-Saxon style
Date from: Circa AD 900
Date to: Circa AD 1100

Dimensions and weight

Quantity: 1
Thickness: 7.8 mm
Weight: 7.65 g
Diameter: 31.1 mm

Discovery dates

Date(s) of discovery: Monday 1st September 2014 - Sunday 14th September 2014

Personal details

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Other reference numbers

Other reference: PAS form number 2392

Materials and construction

Primary material: Copper alloy
Secondary material: Enamel
Manufacture method: Struck or hammered
Completeness: Incomplete
Surface Treatment: Gilded

Spatial metadata

Region: South West (European Region)
County or Unitary authority: North Somerset (Unitary Authority)
District: North Somerset (Unitary Authority)
Parish or ward: Butcombe (Civil Parish)

Spatial coordinates

4 Figure: ST5060
Four figure Latitude: 51.33687942
Four figure longitude: -2.71913873
1:25K map: ST5060
1:10K map: ST56SW
Grid reference source: Centred on field
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 10 metre square.

Discovery metadata

Method of discovery: Metal detector
General landuse: Cultivated land

References cited

Author Publication Year Title Publication Place Publisher Pages Reference
Buckton, D. 1986 Late 10th and 11th-century cloisonne enamel brooches

Similar objects

Find number: HAMP-0F7312
Object type: BROOCH
Broadperiod: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Early Medieval cloisonné disc brooch of 10th to 11th century date. The circular brooch has 12 evenly spaced semi-circular lobes around the e…
Workflow: Awaiting validationFind awaiting validation

Find number: SWYOR-50E010
Object type: BROOCH
Broadperiod: EARLY MEDIEVAL
An Early Medieval cloisonné disc brooch of 10th to 11th century date, AD 900 - 1100. The circular brooch has 7 evenly spaced semi-circular l…
Workflow: Awaiting validationFind awaiting validation

Find number: BERK-B43E92
Object type: BROOCH
Broadperiod: EARLY MEDIEVAL
A near-complete copper alloy and enamel early medieval cloisonné disc brooch of 10th to 11th century date, AD 900 - 1100. The circular brooc…
Workflow: Awaiting validationFind awaiting validation

Timeline of associated dates

Audit data

Recording Institution: SWYOR
Created: 9 years ago
Updated: 9 years ago

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