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BROOCH
Unique ID: SF-CEC602
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation 
An incomplete copper-alloy Early Medieval (Anglo Saxon) small square-headed brooch, dating to AD 470 - 550. It has a rectangular head plate, which has a raised border on the front; the centre of the plate has a rectangular raised border enclosing a transverse beaded line. The bow is almost straight in profile but is decorated with a raised ridge on its front; the ridge is flanked by a couple of parallel grooves. The ridge on the bow runs down into the front of the incomplete footplate, developing a cruciform pattern with a transverse arm crossing almonst at the centre of the plate. The footplate results divided into four quadrans, of which only the upper two survive. The quadrans are decorated with a chip-carved motif possibly depicting an entwined beast. The front face bears traces of gilding. The back face of the head plate bears a pierced lug, which houses a copper-alloy axis bar with small fragments of the iron spring; the footplate has the remains of the catch-plate. The surfaces are worn but the raised decoration is in fair condition.
Cf more complete examples recorded on PAS such as KENT-BD0D7C, NLM-A05C4A (silver). Cf MacGregor-Bolick (1993, pp. 123-124, nos. 14.8, 14.9, 14.10).
Length: 29.07 mm
Width of the head plate: 16.18 mm
Thickness, including pierced lug: 7.21 mm
Thickness of the bow: 2.26 mm
Weight: 3.93 g
Subsequent actions
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Chronology
Broad period: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Period from: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Period to: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 450
Date to: Circa AD 550
Dimensions and weight
Quantity: 1
Length: 29.07 mm
Width: 16.18 mm
Thickness: 2.26 mm
Weight: 3.93 g
Discovery dates
Date(s) of discovery: Wednesday 13th November 2019
Personal details
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Materials and construction
Primary material: Copper alloy
Manufacture method: Cast
Completeness: Incomplete
Surface Treatment: Gilded
Spatial metadata
Region: Eastern (European Region)County or Unitary authority: Suffolk (County)
District: St. Edmundsbury (District)
To be known as: Great Barton
Spatial coordinates
Grid reference source: From finder
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 1 metre square.
References cited
No references cited so far.
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Timeline of associated dates
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