BUCKLE

A cast copper-alloy buckle frame of Roman date. It is D-shaped in form, missing the pin and separately cast plate due to old breaks. The curved outer edge is expanded and has a tapering, flattened front face towards the outer edge that is triangular in cross section. The inner edge (bar) of the frame is rectangular in form and section, decorated on its front face with central transverse grooves, and with a central rectangular notch or bar where the now missing pin would have hinged. Projecting from the attachment end of the frame are two integral oval shaped lugs with central circular apertures that would have enabled attachment of the frame to the now missing plate and pin. The back face is flat and undecorated. The buckle is corroded.

It measures 33.8mm in width, 37.61mm in length, 7.33mm in thickness, and 20.19g in weight.

This is an incomplete Roman buckle, probably from a hinged Roman military buckle. Similar examples are published by Bishop and Coulston (1993: fig. 59 nos. 15, 19) as well as from excavation at Colchester (Crummy, 1983: no. 4215; Hawkes and Hull, 1947: pl. CII nos. 18-23). These indicate a probable date range in the 1st century AD for the current example.