BROOCH

An incomplete cast copper alloy Roman trumpet brooch, dating to the period circa AD 75 to 175. The brooch is an inverted 'L' shape in profile and the bow tapers from a rounded head to a circular foot knop. Extending from the top of the head is a broken tab which may have once held a loose wire loop.

The head and bow of the brooch would have been inlaid with enamel but nearly all of this is now missing. The head is decorated with a central vertical bifurcated rib either side of which are opposing crescents of diminishing, some retaining traces of blue enamel. Located below the head at the upper part of the bow is a tripled collared knop with three moulded panels above and below. The lower half of the bow has an integrally cast decoration consisting of a chevron design which extends vertically either side of the vertical midrib.

At the reverse of the head has a perforated lug at the rear which would have held the spring and pin mechanism but is now broken and missing, with ony a small section of the iron spring wire extant. At the reverse of the lower bow is the catch plate that extends from the moulded collar to the point where the foot knop extends. The foot of the bow terminates in a rounded foot knop which has a central circular pellet moulded in relief.

Trumpet style brooches typically date from 75 to 175 AD. There are many similar examples on the database for example WMID-31F3E4, SWYOR-9D86F8 and YORYM-7C36A4. Hattatt (2012) illustrates similar examples on page 327-328, nos. 1528 and 432, 947 and 951.