BROOCH

Roman copper alloy bow brooch of Wroxeter type and probably of early-to-mid- 2nd century AD date.

The brooch is incomplete, missing the pin and the end of the leg (with a surviving length of 41.mm, a surviving depth of 17.4mm and a weight of 12.1g). The missing pin was hinged within semi-tubular wings behind the head (12.mm wide). The top of the pin survives, between the wings and is of iron, as is the ferrous axis bar which protrudes slightly from the ends of the wings. The head plate is eroded and is now trapezoidal, with straight sides converging to the apex (with a length of 15.9mm, a thickness of 3.3mm and a width at the apex of 9.2mm). The integral chain-loop at the apex has been lost. The front of the plate is decorated with horizontal grooves and ribs; the basal rib is knurled. The upper bow is deeply arched and is of D-shaped section with straight sides converging to the mid-bow (with a width near the head of 10.3mm and a thickness of 5.8mm). The upper bow was decorated with three vertical rectangular cells containing alternating coloured enamels. The two side cells now contain alternating red and yellow enamel, while the central cell is alternating red and turquoise enamel. Beneath the panel, on the mid bow was a raised integral circular stud, now worn and corroded (with a diameter of 4.2mm and a surviving height of 1.6mm). The leg is concave and of oval section with straight sides converging to the break. No trace of the catch-plate now survives on the rear of the leg. The surface is heavily corroded with traces of a dark-green patina and elsewhere is corroded mid-green with no applied decoration now evident.
The brooch can be closely paralleled with an example recorded by Hattatt (1989, no. 1538, p 96) from Eye in Suffolk. Hattatt sees the button, head-plate and hinged mechanism common to this and the Eye brooch as atypical features for the Wroxeter Type.

1. Hattatt, R.; 1989, Ancient Brooches and other Artefacts