BROOCH

An incomplete copper alloy Early Medieval plate brooch probably dating to the ninth century and of Continental, Carolingian, origin.. The plate is rectangular in shape, with a solid raised border running around the edge. The brooch is divided into three panels depicting a wolf flanked by two birds. On the inside of the panels is blue enamel with the surface of the light green copper alloy patina showing through.

On the reverse Is the remains of the attachment. On one side there is the catchplate, this is rectangular in shape with the outer edge curved over to hold the now missing pin. On the opposite side is the remains of the pin hinge plate. This is square in shape and has a central circular perforation. The pin is missing. There is no decoration on the reverse.

The brooch has a dark green patina. The length is 56mm, the width is 32mm.

Mr Barry Ager comments:

On the basis of the rectangular form of the Whalley brooch, the rather non-classical style of the three creatures on it and the use of enamel, it appears from the image that it is likely related to the Carolingian rectangular plate brooches of the early to mid-9th century, mainly from north-west Germany and Frisia, although occurring also in the UK and Sweden. However, the decoration of this group is mostly geometric, or occasionally vegetal or depicting birds (as on one with two birds from Mill Lane, Thetford, which was brought in to the BM for ID back in 1998 and has possibly been published since; compare also FAKL-FF11F0, on PAS with just a single bird) and I have not been able to find a close parallel for the Whalley creatures - from L to R a wyvern, a griffin and possibly a peacock - on continental examples of the type. 

The decorative border of the brooch further sets it apart and perhaps it is a little earlier than the "German" group, originating rather from the Mediterranean region, such as the northern part of Italy that was annexed by Charlemagne in the late 8th century and where fine enamelwork was produced, and also griffins and peacocks appear, presumably under Byzantine artistic influence, in sculpture of the 8th-9th century (although I haven't found wyverns yet; see N. Åberg, The Occident and the Orient, II, figs. 12 and 14). Without better parallels I hesitate to speculate further, but the brooch appears to be unique .

for the "German" plate brooches, see: H.-J. Frick, 1992-93, ‘Karolingisch-ottonische Scheibenfibeln des nördlichen Formenkreises’, Offa, 49-50, 243-463

Carolingian enamelwork in general, is discussed in: G. Haseloff, 1990, Email im frühen Mittelalter. Frühchristliche Kunst von der Spätantike bis zu den Karolingern, Marburger Studien zur Vor- und Frühgeschichte, Sonderband 1, Marburg.

For the Thetford brooch, see:  S. Youngs, 2004, ‘Brooches’, pp. 38-40, pl. 5, SF161 and fig. 35, SF161, in H. Wallis, 2004, Excavations at Mill Lane, Thetford, 1995, East Anglian Archaeology, rep. no. 108, Gressenhall