BROOCH

An incomplete Roman copper alloy Aesica brooch, probably a Hook Norton or related type, dating to c. AD 44-100. The brooch is almost complete, missing only its spring mechanism and the corners of its foot-plate.

A the head of the brooch the wings surive to a width of 23.9mm; these are C-shaped in cross section, although they are abraded, and it is unclear whether or not they originally terminated in wing caps. Below the head, the bow is cast in high relief into an elaborately decorated boss. A central longitudinal corded ridge divides the boss along the median line, and continues to form a perforated crest surmounting the wings, although now incomplete. To either side of this median ridge the boss is cast into a point, the points facing down and out, and with a further corded ridge extending from the head, over these points and then looping down below the median ridge in a symetrical arrangement. In the spaces defined by this corded decoration is a raised extended piriform feature, with a recessed circular field containing a raised pellet at the rounded end. The reverse of the boss is concave. The boss is 22.4mm wide, 9.7mm thick and 14.8mm high.

Below the boss the bow narrows and then expands into a triangular 'fan-tail' foot plate, surviving to 18.1mm wide at its base. This is similarly decorated in relief, with a central triangle, cast in relief, with a central recessed circular field with a central pellet, and with a crescentic knop at its apex (curved side-down). The entire brooch has a corded edge. An incomplete catchplate projects from the reverse of the foot.

Overall dimensions: length 30.3mm; width 23.9mm; thickness 12.9mm; weight 15.35g.

Although no exact parallel for this brooch has been found, it is probably of Hook Norton or a related type, described by Bayley & Butcher (2004: 150-151) as imitating continental rosette brooches and dated to the second half of the first century. Although of different construction, the brooch strongly resembles Aescia brooches in its general form (cf. SOM-66F973), and can be compared to other brooches recorded on this database: e.g. LEIC-5CDECA, LIN-2070A6. It is likely that the recessed ring and dot motifs originally held an enamel inlay.