BROOCH

An incomplete Roman copper alloy Hod Hill brooch, of the bottom section of the bow and catchplate. It measures 45.96mm in length and weighs 3.34 grams.

The bow is incomplete, the surviving section is broadly rectangular in plan before tapering to the foot. The top part of the bow is decorated with a central vertical rib flanked by two vertical grooves. Below is a further horizontal groove and a horizontal rib. The bow then narrows from 13.5mm in width (1.6 in thickness) to 3.02mm. It is plain and rectangular in plan before tapering towards the foot which is decorated with a horizontal groove and rib.

The foot has a broadly rectangular knop. The catchplate is 36.22mm long, the curl to hold the pin is slightly damaged.

In "Late Iron Age and Roman Brooches", Worrell (1998, p9) notes that Hod Hill brooches are closely related to Aucissa brooches from which they probably developed. They occur widely on the continent, particularly in Gaul and the Rhineland (ibid.). The main centre of production was probably Gaul, but some were probably made in Britain (ibid.). They are often associated with military sites and probably introduced to Britain by the Roman army, although they are also found on non-military sites (ibid.). Hod Hill brooches are known from post-conquest depositions and the type is better known on the continent. Bayley & Butcher (2004, p.153) suggest Hod Hill brooches went out of use c.70 AD.