BROOCH

An incomplete copper alloy brooch of Colchester derivative Polden Hill (Mackreth Group 4, flat wing ends), Mackreth 2011, 4.h. Plate 47. Roman date (AD 80 to AD 120).

Approximately 85% of the brooch is present, consisting of the head, bow, wing, spring, catch plate and foot. The pin and one wing are missing, presumably lost in antiquity.

In plan, the brooch is almost T-shaped, and D-shaped in cross section. The bow head is hump-like, and angular (comma shaped) in profile, with one sub-cylindral wing projecting from the right side at the top, the left wing is missing. The remains of a rear ward facing hook is present at the head of the bow, which would have held the suspension loop.The wing has a sub circular pierced wing cap, which has a ridge on the edge of it and a ridge where it connects to the bow. The reverse of the brooch has a semi circular shaped depression where the spring is held (iron corrosion is heavy, detail of the spring obscured). On the bow at the front of the brooch the decoration takes the form of two adjacent central vertical grooves with a semi cylindrical ridge in between. Either side of this decoration there are a series of raised pellets within shallow rings (numbering 20 on each side), getting slightly smaller as they progress down the bow of the brooch. The shallow rings appear to have been added afterwards, and appear to have been incised or punched into the metal. The bottom of the bow terminates in a knop, above which there is a triple collar, a groove and then a further collar. The catchplate emerges from above the upper collar on the reverse of the brooch, but is incomplete.The back of the brooch is undecorated, but does have a rectangular, vertical ridge running from the catch plate to the base of the spring.

The brooch measures 69.9 mm in length, and is 22.6 mm wide. It has a thickness of 13.2 mm and weighs 23.8 g.

The brooch is a dark green colour, with an uneven patina. Abrasion, caused by movement whilst within the plough soil, has resulted in a loss of some of the original surface detail.