BROOCH

An Incomplete Roman copper alloy developed T-Shape brooch dating to the period c. AD 50-150 AD. The brooch comprises the head, wings, bow and catchplate, the pin and foot finial are now missing due to old breaks.

The head of the brooch has two wings that are retangular in cross section and both terminate in old breaks. The wings themselves are decorated with a series of vertical incised grooves and house the copper alloy axis bar for the hinged pin mechanism. They are divided on the reverse of the head by a central pin slot, which is retangular in section and 2.26mm wide, and is quite deep. Traces of Iron staining between the wings suggest that the pin may have been iron. The bow rises vertically from the head before bnding almost 90 degrees and then curving at a shallow angle to the foot. It tapers in width along its length to a triangular point which is now all that remains of the foot. Above the bow is a triangular section,10.65mm in width , which tapers to 8.12mm at is apex and is pierced centrally to form an attachment loop; the upper section of which is now worn away due to an old break. The upper bow immediately below the wings is decorated with a series of incised grooves, that then join a raised central area runnign down the bow, which appears to have contained some form of further decoartion, possibly lozenge shaped cells placed tip to tip. However the bow is considerably worn at this point, so it is unclear.

The catchplate is broadly trapezoid, with the outer edge bent over to house the pin.

In the arching of the bow this is similar to Dolphin brooches, although a hinged variety that sits more happily with the T-shapes but the head loop suggests it is a later form. Bayley & Butcher (2004;166-7) indicate that a similar developed T-Shaped brooches from T105 from Shakenoak in Oxfordshire dates from the period c. AD 50-100, and a further example from Caerleon (T106) was found in a Hadrianic-Antonine context suggesting that such brooches date from c. AD 50- 150.

It is 50.96mm in overall length. With a width at the wings of 36.27mm. The bow itself is 13.26mm at the head, and 3.33mm at the foot. It is 8.43mm thick and weighs 25.37g