BROOCH 225344

Description: A slightly squashed Roman (AD 280-410) copper alloy (with high tin content - or highly tinned) early form of crossbow brooch or Light Crossbow brooch, measuring a (bent) 59.6mm in length and weighing 11.49g. The pin is intact, though a little bent, and lacking the tinned impression of the rest of the brooch. The wingspan is 29.6mm. The wings are triangular in section with a circular-sectioned rather crude knob at either end. In the centre a knob flanked by a flange rises from the wings. This knob, and the wings themselves, are flat-backed. At the centre, where the pin hinges on the axis bar, there is iron staining. The bow is pentagonal in section, being flat to the back. The lower bow is marked with a D-shaped flange, reminiscent of those on the earlier P-shaped brooches. Below this, and before the foot, are two mouldings with a C-shaped cut between them. The foot consists entirely of the catchplate, which is triple-faceted to the front. The brooch is very similar to Hattatt no.498, found in Suffolk. The brooch is very similar to no. 279 found at Richborough and dated AD 280+ (Bayley and Butcher 2004: 109). Reference: J Bayley and S Butcher. Roman Brooches in Britain: A Technological and Typological Study Based on the Richborough Collection. The Society of Antiquaries London [page: 109].

Date: 280 - 410

Object type: BROOCH

Last import: August 15, 2017