Rights Holder: Birmingham Museums Trust
CC License:
Our images can be used under a CC BY attribution licence (unless stated otherwise).
Unique ID: WMID-42E684
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation
An incomplete copper alloy Colchester-derivative (Polden Hill) brooch with a perforated crest of Roman date (AD 80-120).
The foot, catchplate and pin are missing. The brooch is 'T' shaped in plan. The wings are cylindrical in profile with perforated end caps. The perforated crest projects from the upper edge of the head and is intact. At the rear of the head is the spring mechanism which consists of nine complete coils plus one damaged outer coil. The two outer coils are connected as they both extend over the spring mechanism and pass through the perforated crest. The pin which would have extended from the centre of the coils is missing.
The bow head is hump-like, and slightly flattened and broad. The bow tapers to a rounded damaged terminal with a well-developed patina. The catch-plate and pin rest are missing from the rear of the bow. The bow has a central rib extending from the head to the point where the bow begins to narrow. Each wing has two vertical moulded ribs which are incised with horizontal notches. The brooch has a dark green to brown coloured well developed abraded patina.
There are many similar examples on the database that have been found in Somerset (SOM-5874A5) and Worcestershire (WMID-3AE7B5). The brooch has parallels with Bailey and Butcher (2004) group a, with the perforated crests as illustrated on page 90.
The brooch measures 31.45mm in length, 27.27mm width (across damaged wings), 6.31mm thick at the point where the bow begins to taper, and weighs 11.4 grams.
Bayley, J. and Butcher, S., (2004)Roman Brooches in Britain: A technological and Typological Study Based on the Richborough Collection.London: Society of Antiquaries.
Class:
Colchester-derivative
Sub class: Polden Hill (perforated crest)
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Broad period: ROMAN
Period from: ROMAN
Period to: ROMAN
Date from: Circa AD 75
Date to: Circa AD 175
Quantity: 1
Length: 31.45 mm
Width: 27.27 mm
Thickness: 6.31 mm
Weight: 11.4 g
Date(s) of discovery: Sunday 13th March 2016 - Sunday 13th March 2016
This information is restricted for your access level.
4 Figure: SO9249
Four figure Latitude: 52.1392363
Four figure longitude: -2.11830748
1:25K map: SO9249
1:10K map: SO94NW
Grid reference source: From finder
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 1 metre square.
No references cited so far.