BROOCH

An incomplete Roman lozenge-shaped plate brooch dating to the period c. AD 100 - 200. While much of the front plate and catchplate survives the pin is missing.

The brooch consists of a lozenge-shaped plate which, unusually, has a large circular hole in the centre. This hole has a raised border. Similarly the edges of the lozenge are raised such that the area between this and the hole are bordered on each side. With this recessed area between the raised borders are very occasional traces of degraded enamel original colour of which is no longer possible too determine.

Each corner of the lozenge shaped plate has a knop, those on the sides of the brooch are circular in form one of which contains surviving traces of a dark enamel, probably dark blue. The upper knop, that placed above the pin hinge, is wider that these, ovoid and has traces of the same dark enamel. The lower knop, that placed above the catchplate, is wider longer than the sides knops, also ovoid and has traces of the same dark blue enamel.

On the back of the brooch, behind th upper knop and plate are two D-shaped lugs with a groove between, to allow the hinged pin to rest on the axis bar running between the lugs. While no remains of the pin survive the two holes in the lug are filled with corroded iron product likely to be from either the axis bar or the pin.

The catchplate is trapezoidal in shape with is upper edge diagonal. its outer edge curves over 180 degrees to create a groove in which the pin would have rested.

While the majority of the front of the plate would have contained enamel much of this is now lost. the remaining portion of the brooch is now an orange red colour and shows a degree of abrasion with a chip on its right knop.

The brooch measures 36.44mm in length, 25.7mm in width, 10.4mm in thickness and weighs 4.28g.

Brooches of this type are illustrated in Hattatt (2000), p.349, fig.208, which are dated to the 2nd century AD. Similar designs to this brooch are also displayed in Bayley and Butcher (2004, 127) and can be found on this database see for example SOM-5E025F, OXON-B348A2, LIN-26F12E, and YORYM-82F251. This particular plate is different to the majority of examples in these sources in that it has the central circular hole but is otherwise consistent. A brooch of a slightly different outline but with a similar hole is illustrated by Hattatt (2000, 353) no. 1119.