DIVIDERS

Addenda: In 2022 the incomplete artefact recorded in PAS record CAM-4F835B was found. That would appear to be part of the same artefact as the fragment recorded in this PAS record. Consequently the item recorded below has been amended from 'Unidentified Object' to 'Dividers'.

An incomplete copper-alloy late Roman artefact, probably some form of dress accessory. This fragment weighs 10.52g, has a total incomplete length of 48.1mm, maximum width of 16.9mm and maximum thickness of 4.0mm.

Description

One end of the artefact has a semi-circular cross-section with smooth reverse and moulded ribbing on the upper curved surface. This end has a worn transverse break. At the broken end this section of the artefact has a width of 5.0mm and thickness of 4.0mm. The ribbed section has slight curvature, bending to one side, along the 23.6mm length. When the flat reverse is laid on a table, the artefact on a vertical alignement with the semi-circular part lower than the other part, the artefact bends to the left of the object (right as viewed). The transverse ribs span the full width of this section of the object. Each rib accounts for c.1.0mm of the length, the grooves between being narrower. The ribbed section of the object has a width of 5.7mm and thickness of 4.0mm, towards the centre of the artefact.

The other half of the artefact has a rectangular cross-section measuring a width of 8.1mm and thickness of 4.1mm just past the ribbed zone. At the opposite end the artefact has a width of 8.5mm and thickness of 4.0mm and comes to a transverse break. The break at this wider end of the surviving artefact fragment is relatively straight with a short rough jagged texture. Both the upper and lower surface of this half of the artefact are flat and smooth. The upper surface has incised decoration. c.1.8mm from the rough break is a transverse groove which covers the whole width. This forms one end to a rectangular field defined by incised lines. This rectangular field has a length of 10.0mm. Two diagonal incised lines form an 'X' that stretches across the rectangular field from each corner. The lateral side lines of this rectangular field are positioned exactly at what would be the edge of the artefact if a small bird lappet was not present, projecting out from either side of the artefact, at this point. The stylised birds create an elongated 'C' shape with the heads and tails curving out from the side of the artefact. The presence of these birds increases the width of the artefact to 16.9mm. The birds have a length of 13.2mm beak to tail tip, and a length of 10.5mm at the base of the body which forms the integral connection with the rest of the artefact. 7.3mm below the lower transverse groove of the rectangular motif is a third transverse groove, the zone formed between the second and third groove is approximately square in shape. At the approximate centre of this square zone is an incised circle of 6.5mm diameter and at the centre of that is a small circular depressed dot of c.1.2mm diameter. The circle is positioned slightly nearer to the artefact's right edge (left as viewed). This sunken dot may well be evidence that the incised circle was made with the use of a compass or compass-like tool. Two diagonal incised lines form an 'X' that stretches across the square field from each corner passing directly through the centre of the circle and dot. 2.1mm below the third transverse groove is a fourth. The edges of the short length between these grooves have been shaped so that the middle retains the full width of the artefact, 7.7mm at this point, and are slightly cut, filed away or moulded to be slightly narrower above and below, next to the transverse grooves. This forms the appearance of a chunky single rib with flattened upper surface and rounded edges. Below the fourth groove the artefact is shaped so that a single diagonal groove is positioned starting to either side and directly above the semi-circular moulded ribbed half of the artefact and angle inwards and upwards to join the fourth transverse groove. These two grooves therefore form an inverted 'V' which transitions the moulded ribbed section of the artefact into the rectangular cross-sectioned decorated terminal zone.

The reverse of this artefact is smooth, flat and undecorated.

Discussion (via email)

Yes, this definitely has a Roman date.
Ralph Jackson, 2015.

It might possibly be a slightly bent terminal of a penannular brooch.
Tim Padley, 2016.

The two birds at the side of the terminal seem firmly Roman as Ralph says.
Could possibly be a Fowler Type F penannular brooch but these have not been firmly dated to any earlier than the 5th century.
However this incomplete artefact is very different to the standard Type F form which varies very little. Type F examples have the same 'snout/eyes/head/ears' combination not seen on the remains of this artefact. This artefact seems very different to the standard Type F.
Similarity, of the two birds on this artefact, to the single bird on the enamelled penannular brooch found at the sacred spring at Bath should be noted.
Anna Booth, 2016.

The curvature of the moulded ribbed section, below the terminal, could indicate the terminal of a brooch or alternatively be the bent upper section of an incomplete pin shaft.
The main feature of this artefact that suggests that it is part of a pin rather than brooch is the presence of the bird shaped wings/lappets to either side of the main terminal decoration.
The broadness of this artefact also suggests a pin, however it is noted that you do get slightly broader and flatter terminals in the more elaborate Fowler Type F and H penannular brooches. Overall an incomplete pin seems more favourable than a brooch fragment but this cannot yet be proved unless a more complete parallel is found.
The moulded banding and rectangular panel with incised X all fit the late 'zoomorphic' form.
Later Roman dating is suggested, of 4th-5th century possibly into the 6th century AD. This dating is later in the north of England and there have been some arguments suggesting that the 'zoomorphic' types appear in the 3rd century AD or earlier in the south but these are usually based on insecure or poor context data. The bird shaped wings/lappets suggest a later date reinforcing a later 4th century and onwards AD date. The later dating is further reinforced by the use of birds and other animals in 'zoomorphic' buckles in the same period, 4th to 5th century, which are also more commonly found in the south-west.
Rob Collins, 2016.

I'd just like to reiterate Rob's comments about similar birds on buckles of the late 4th and 5th centuries and draw your attention to some examples on the PAS database e.g. BUC-A3A6C5, YORYM-D243D0, YORYM-BB13D0, SF306, NLM5690, NLM-DCA911 etc. Stuart Laycock, 2017.

Thanks
Many thanks to: Ralph Jackson (Curator, British Museum), Tim Padley (Keeper of Archaeology, Tullie House Museum), Rob Collins (Research Associate, Newcastle University), and Anna Booth (Finds Liaison Officer, Suffolk County Council) for their thoughts about this intriguing artefact.

References

Fowler, E., 1963 ' Celtic Metalwork of the Fifth and Sixth centuries A.D.CXX,pp.98-160.

Booth, A., 2014. Reassessing the long chronology of the penannular brooch in Britain: exploring changing styles, use and meaning across a millennium Leicester : Leicester University unpublished thesis.