Rights Holder: The Portable Antiquities Scheme
CC License:
Our images can be used under a CC BY attribution licence (unless stated otherwise).
Unique ID: DEV-569AC1
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation
An incomplete copper alloy Roman gilded oval disc brooch, with large glass inset, probably dating to the late 3rd century AD.
The disc, inset, and stubby bases of the pin attachment and catch plate are all that survive.
An example of Bayley and Butcher's gilded oval disc brooches (2004:178). It is oval in shape with pointed terminals, although these are probably the result of uneven deterioration of the original oval shape. A wide band of approximately 4mm runs around the outer perimeter of the obverse. In the centre is a conical oval millefiori glass setting with a distinct central peak which is now slightly damaged. The reverse is undecorated. The catch plate survives in slightly larger form than the pin attachment. The latter is reduced to a truncated U-shaped stub, while the former retains much of its tapering form, although it is bent and damaged.
The outer band on the obverse face was once gilded, but only tiny traces of this survive, covering less than 5% of this area. An orange patina has developed across the majority of this band. The central glass setting is ringed by two ridges of copper alloy that were also once gilded. The glass itself features an opaque red design with may be intended to be floral, featuring three red lines surrounding a central darker dot. This is set against a translucent green background, interspersed with opaque white and, noticeably, an opaque yellow chevron directly adjacent to the red design.
It is 25mm long, 17.6mm wide and 8.2mm thick. It weighs 5.4g.
Bayley and Butcher (2004:177) describe a similar example, number T271, which they date to the late 3rd and early 4th century AD. They describe 35 similar examples, with one from Nettleton found in conjunction with a 4th century coin. They suggest that the oval examples are predominantly brass, as opposed to bronze.
This example is unusual as the majority of these brooches use black glass or appear dark green. Bayley and Butcher (2004:51) describe the use of coloured glass as "rare."
This is a find of note and has been designated: County / local importance
Class:
Disc
Sub class: Gilded oval disc
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Broad period: ROMAN
Period from: ROMAN
Period to: ROMAN
Date from: Circa AD 250
Date to: Exactly AD 350
Quantity: 1
Length: 25 mm
Width: 17.6 mm
Thickness: 8.2 mm
Weight: 5.42 g
This information is restricted for your access level.
Other reference: SCC Receipt 017938
Primary material: Copper alloy
Secondary material: Glass
Manufacture method: Cast
Completeness: Incomplete
Surface Treatment: Gilded
4 Figure: SU0499
Four figure Latitude: 51.68974119
Four figure longitude: -1.94353376
1:25K map: SU0499
1:10K map: SU09NW
Grid reference source: GPS (from the finder)
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 1 metre square.
Author | Publication Year | Title | Publication Place | Publisher | Pages | Reference | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bayley, J. and Butcher, S. | 2004 | Roman Brooches in Britain: A Technological and Typological Study Based on the Richborough Collection | London | The Society of Antiquaries | 177-179 |