BROOCH

An almost complete, but slightly corroded Roman copper-alloy umbonate plate brooch dating to the mid-second or third century AD.

This brooch is circular in plan with a corroded outer edge. It is approximately hemispherical in section, possessing an almost conical central boss with a flat ring-and-dot motif at its apex. The sides of the boss are decorated with twelve triangular cells filled alternately with red and blue enamel. The central boss is surrounded by a circumferential ring-shaped cell, filled with a grey substance which may be degraded enamel. At one end of the brooch, there extends a fragment of the head loop, behind which are concealed two semi-circular pierced lugs which would have secured the pin in place. There is some iron corrosion sandwiched between the lugs suggesting that the pin was made from iron. At the other end of the brooch, there is a triangular foot, which conceals a small triangular catchplate. The brooch measures 35mm in length, 24mm in width and a maximum of 14mm in thickness. It weighs 7.24g.

Similar brooches have been published (Hattatt 1998: 350, refs: 130, 131 and 535; Bayley and Butcher 2004: 132-3 catalogue nos. 379 and 381).

Similar brooches have been recorded on The Portable Antiquities Scheme database. For example, see finds: HESH-1EAB31; LIN-6116D4; LIN-615F10; SWYOR-D9C7E3 and WILT-5F3992.

Bayley, J. and Butcher, S. 2004 Roman Brooches in Britain: A Technological and Typological Study based on the Richborough Collection. Society of Antiquaries.

Hattatt, R. 1989. Ancient Brooches and Other Artefacts. Oxford: Oxbow Books.