BROOCH

Copper-alloy Roman Thealby Mine brooch, missing its pin and head loop (c. 75 - 175 AD). The head of the brooch takes the form of two tubular wings extending at a right-angle to the bow on each side; this is the cylinder of the hinge mechanism. A vertical groove at the back of the head shows evidence of the corroded remains of the pin, also visible at each end of the hinge cylinder as a dark brown in contrast to the light green patina of the rest of the brooch. There is a wide decorative vertical groove down the front face of each wing. At the very top of the head is a transverse ridge and two triangular spurs, representing the remains of the integral circular head loop, which is has been broken off. The bow, crescent in section due to the convex front surface and depressed inner surface, curves out and down from the head, terminating in a small forward-kicking foot knob. The sides at the very top of the bow are angled, creating a downward pointing triangular section that would usually terminate in a head stud; on this variant. The rough nature of the surface on the front of the bow suggests that this would have had a raised decorative pattern; unfortunately, corrosion and wear has obscured any real impression of this. At the back of the bow is a sub-triangular catchplate that narrows and extends up the bow to just below the head. The brooch is 39.28mm in length, 15.83mm at maximum width and 8.50mm at maximum thickness. The brooch weighs 5.64g.

Hattatt, A Visual Catalogue of Richard Hattatt's Ancient Brooches (2007), p. 333.