BROOCH

A fragment of a cast copper-alloy Early-Medieval Geat Square-Headed brooch, possibly relating to Hines group I, c.AD 500-550.

Description: The fragment survives as an irregulalry shaped section of the central headplate panel and upper bow of the brooch. The bow is very shallow with a raised border and a central ridge which creates two panels on the bow. The central ridge extend from the bow into the central headplate panel. Each panel has stylised Salin style I zoomorphic designs possibly with downwards facing beasts aligned with feet to the median ridge. The central panel of the headplate survives at roughly two thirds its orignal size and is missing much of its border and top left section. The border appears to have consisted of a thicker outer raised ridge and a thinner inner one consistantly along the top and sides and the outer one joines the raised ridge of the bow. This means there is no formal division between the bow panels and the central panel of the head plate. The central ridge of the bow projects roughly half way up into the central pannel a feature noted to occuring on some members of Hines group XII and XXII. From the central ridge in the headplate three elements of the zoomoprhic design eminate, one from the bottom, middle and top respecitevely. These elements are riibbon like and the elements are mirrored on each side. The central element on the right hand side finishes in a hooked beaked animal mask possibly with a horn which faces towards the bottom outer side of the headplate.

The edges and breaks of the bow are highly abraded indicating breakge in antiquity. The reverse is undecorrated with a standard pin loop. The bow is slghlty concave. The brooch is dark grey-brown colour mottled with some areas of greener patination,.

Measurements: 42.8mm long, 31.4mm wide, 7.5mm thick (including pin loop, 2.8mm without) and 26.19g in weight.

Discussion: After viewing an image of this fragmnet John Hines (pers. comm.) notes that 'the zones of Style I ornament that are visible in the headplate inner panel and either side of the bow-ridge are consistent with group I', however there were no clear 'equivalent or visibly related elements there with other members of the group'. Due to the fragmentary nature of this brooch and its wear it is not possible to be more precise than this.