BROOCH

An incomplete late Iron Age copper-alloy rosette brooch of 1st century AD date, c.20-60 AD.

Description: The brooch is in relatively complete compared to many examples of the type and is only missing the majority of its pin, part of its foot and various abraded areas around its the spring casing lozenge plate. The spring casing at the head is cylindrical in form, folded to encase the separately cast spring and pin. It has a rectangular pin slot and incised decoration on its front face. The decoration on the spring casing comprises an incised rectangular grooved border, although due to ware this might be more extensive. Most of the spring loop has corroded away or fallen out.

The bow is rectangular in plan. The bow is curved in profile, typical of fibula type brooches with moulded decoration on its upper face. This comprises two vertical flutes between three vertical ribs themselves decorated corded decoration. At its apex the bow has a corded transverse collar separating it from the spring casing. The integral decorative bow plate is flat, lozenge shaped in form, and highly abraded around its edges. Where the bow joins the plate, there is an area of moulded decoration that is highly corroded and unclear. There may in fact be an added element inlaid into this moulding an element of which can be seen compressed behind the bow and the plate. The edges of the central plate have a double grooved border, alternating ribs with notched or corded decoration. From the base of the plate extends the integral foot, which has broken soon after the plate. The decoration is a continuation of the bow's decorative elements.

On the back face of the foot, and extending to the centre of the central plate, is the integrally cast catch plate, this remains only as stub. Either side of the catch plate, running from top to bottom of the central plate, are is a pair diagonal grooves with another pair towards the top although the left one is obscured by corrosion and abrasion. The entire object has a dark green patina. All the breaks on the objects look relatively well patinated and worn likely indicating damage during antiquity.

Measurements: 43.24mm long, 30mm wide, 14.97mm thick and 16.4g2 in weight.

Discussion: This is an incomplete rosette brooch of late Iron Age date. It finds close parallels in examples published by Hattatt (1987: nos. 279, 789, 1470) and in Mackreth's rosette group ROS 4.b brooches with integral lozenge shaped plate (Mackreth, 2011: 29, nos. 5876, 5879). As well as a few examples identified on the PAS database such as SF-C83122. These brooches are in early roman style and spread from the continent c.AD 20.