Rights Holder: Somerset County Council
CC License:
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Unique ID: SOM-3C29EA
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation
An incomplete cast copper alloy Roman sheath-footed probably crossbow brooch dating to the late 3rd or 4th century AD. The lower part of the bow, foot and the catch plate remain, the rest, including the diagnostic upper part of the bow and head, are missing. The bow is trapezoid in section, with a wider back and front, and is wider in profile than face on. The remaining section of bow curves through a quarter circle then changes direction abruptly to the horizontal foot. The foot is of the cylindrical sheath type, oval in cross section and hollow with a groove running in from one side. The foot narrows and thins slightly from the bow end to the terminal. The foot ends in a plain rectangular terminal with no foot knop. The remaining section is 34.6mm long, 21.9mm wide and 6.4mm thick and weighs 5.65g.
Without the distinctive head it can not be definitely placed in the crossbow group but is within the broader sheath-footed group. Hoever the lack of an knop or expansion where the foot joins the bow is more common on the crossbow than other, earlier, types. Crossbow brooches date to the later 3rd to fourth centuries and appear to have been used by the military and civilians in Britain (Bayley and Butcher 2004, 183). KENT-770747 and WMID-FB7A75 on this database appear similar, the latter is complete. Brooches of this form are very rare in the South West.
Class:
Sheath footed
Sub class: Crossbow
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Broad period: ROMAN
Period from: ROMAN
Period to: ROMAN
Date from: Circa AD 250
Date to: Circa AD 375
Quantity: 1
Date(s) of discovery: Saturday 9th July 2016 - Saturday 9th July 2016
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Other reference: SCC receipt 17427
Grid reference source: GPS (from the finder)
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 1 metre square.
Author | Publication Year | Title | Publication Place | Publisher | Pages | Reference | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bayley, J. and Butcher, S. | 2004 | Roman Brooches in Britain: A Technological and Typological Study Based on the Richborough Collection | London | The Society of Antiquaries |