BROOCH

A fragment of an early medieval great square-headed brooch of Hines' Group XII, dating to the later 5th to 6th century. The fragment consists of the foot of the brooch, and is most likely part of the same brooch as BUC-05A179.

The fragment consists of the terminal lobe of the foot of the brooch, and one of the side lobes. In the centre of the terminal lobe there is a raised circular rounded disc, this is decorated with a central high relief circle surrounded by two circular high relief loops. Running vertically from the disc along the centre of the brooch are two parallel high relief lines, with a raised rectangular border running inside. This is broken almost half way up by a rectangular raised platform, containing four rows of four raised rectangles. After the platform the border of rectangles becomes higher relief to the brooch, and is trapezoidal in cross section. Surrounding this on either side is irregular interlacing of raised triple strands. This runs round the disc in a circular motif of interlacing triple strands; this is recurring alternately with three strands running vertically, and three stands running horizontally around the central disc.

The side lobe is decorated similarly to the terminal lobe, with a raised central disc and the interlacing surrounding it. To the left of the disc is a high relief triangular motif, surrounded by a raised triangular border. Surrounding this is a raised V shape, with a curved loop projecting from each end, and from the centre of the V projecting on both sides into a curved loop.

Across the top where the brooch would have extended to the square head, and to the left where the second side lobe would have been is a worn ragged and uneven break. The reverse is worn, with a rough circular patch near the breaks. There are small circular holes in the metal, possibly from when it was cast. There is no gilding or decoration.

The brooch headplate has a dark green patina. The brooch is gilded, the remains of this is mainly in the recesses of the decoration. The headplate measures 66.7mm in length, 31.8mm in width, and 4.6mm at maximum thickness. It weighs 30.45g.

Similar decoration on a headplate can be seen in Hines 1997, page 102, number 51b, and in records WAW-602D36 and WAW-3E1443.