BROOCH

A complete enamelled cast copper alloy Roman trumpet-headed brooch dating from second century (100 - 200) AD. The head of the brooch is similar to the more common trumpet brooch whereas the bow extends to an extended enamel plate which expands symmetrically to either side of the bow. It tapers to a regular turned (onion shaped) bulbous knop like foot. The head of the brooch is complete although abraded; it has lost its small head loop. The head is broadly oval in plan, and tapers into the bow. The reverse of the head has two projecting lugs positioned on either edge. These are pierced and have a copper alloy axis bar between them. The axis bar holds the spring and pin, which are extant. The spring and pin are formed from a single length of copper alloy wire, which has been turned four times to form the spring. The end of the pin is sharpened to a point and distorted by movement in the ploughsoil. The head of the brooch is not decorated although it has a pencil grey sheen in places possibly suggesting a white metal applied surface / tinning / silvering. The upper bow of the brooch is D shaped in cross section. The head of the brooch tapers into the body which expands to form a sub-triangular / V shaped plate. This plate is of a uniform thickness which is the same as the bow. The reverse face is flat and undecorated. The front face is decorated with three panels arranged to form a triangle which echoes the shape of the plate. The upper two panels are oval shaped and filled with a deep blue coloured enamel / glass. Beneath this is an irregular lozenge shaped panel filled with a degraded - probably blue coloured enamel. Below the plate a small turned foot extends. On the reverse of the plate and foot a small sub-triangular catch-plate extends. This plate extends from a cast ridge; the edge of the plate has been rolled to form the pin rest which is slightly abraded. If the pin were straightened the tip would rest on this plate. The brooch is of a mid green colour with an abraded but polished patina which covers all surfaces. There is little evidence of corrosion present and this is most prolific in abraded areas. A number of similar brooches of this type can be seen in Richard Hattatt's Visual Catalogue of Ancient Brooches; page 329; a good parallel with similar decorative motifs is example 975 from Thetford, Norfolk.. All the brooches in this section are dated to the 2nd century AD.

The brooch measures 32.6mm in length, 10.7mm width (across head), 15.5mm width (across plate) is maximum 2.9mm thick, and weighs 4.71 grams.

A similarly decorated brooch was discovered within the same field - but not the same area of the field - it is possible that they may represent a lost pair designed to be worn together. The record for this brooch can be see here: HESH-6BF92C