Rights Holder: Sussex Archaeological Society
CC License:
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Unique ID: SUSS-B1FBD3
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Published
An incomplete Roman cast copper-alloy enamelled knee brooch (AD150-250).
The pin, part of the spring mechanism and the catch plate is missing.
The brooch has semi-cylindrical wings at the top with flattened circular ends and a broken chain loop on top of the wings. The bow is sub-triangular in cross-section, flat at the rear. It tapers in width, but not in thickness, from the wings to the broken catch plate at the bottom. At the top of the bow the width is 11.8mm and the width at the bottom is 3.1mm. It has a thickness of 2.6mm. On the front face of the bow is a central vertical rib, either side of which are at four pairs of opposing recessed triangular cells. The brooch has minute flecks of possible decayed enamel, which seems to have been red in colour.
This brooch has a greenish patina. The breaks are old.
Height including the broken chain loop is 32.5mm; width of wings: 11.6mm; maximum thickness of wings: 4.4mm. The brooch weighs 3.14 grams..
Similar brooches have been published (Hattatt 1989: 335, refs: 480, 481, 1223, 1661; Bayley and Butcher 2004: 180, ref: T173A).
Similar brooches have been recorded on The Portable Antiquities Scheme. For example, see finds: IOW-BFB4D5; HAMP468; LIN-BFD4A9; NCL-B9CCB6; SF-563014; WILT-00A802; WILT-47979A and YORYM-978301.
Hattatt, R. 1989. Ancient Brooches and Other Artefacts. Oxford: Oxbow Books.
Bayley, J. and Butcher, S. 2004. Roman Brooches in Britain: A Technological and Typological Study based on the Richborough Collection. Society of Antiquaries.
Class:
Knee
Sub class: Enamelled
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Broad period: ROMAN
Period from: ROMAN
Period to: ROMAN
Date from: Circa AD 150
Date to: Circa AD 250
Quantity: 1
Height: 32.5 mm
Width: 11.6 mm
Thickness: 2.6 mm
Weight: 3.14 g
Date(s) of discovery: Wednesday 29th April 2015 - Wednesday 29th April 2015
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Primary material: Copper alloy
Manufacture method: Cast
Completeness: Incomplete
Surface Treatment: Inlaid with enamel
Grid reference source: GPS (from the finder)
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 1 metre square.
No references cited so far.