Anglo-Saxon Cruciform Bronze Long Brooch 6th-7th Century

Description

Heading: Anglo-Saxon Cruciform Bronze Long Brooch. 6th-7th Century

Material: Copper alloy artefact

Period: Anglo–Saxon

Date: c6th-7th century

Origin: Britain

Condition: About Very Fine with dark patina. pin missing. Chip missing to tail.

Description: A cruciform brooch with a square head-plate with crescent-shaped wings on three sides (trefoil head). a short middle bow area and elongated foot-plate with expanding finial. 

Size and Weight: 63mm x 30mm. 17.66g

References: cf Hattatt Fig 235. p376. Mills: Saxon and Viking Artefacts. p33 for similar.

Features and Provenance: Buttons did not exist at this point in history. brooches and clothes fastenings. made of metal or bone were the norm. The Romans had introduced a variety of fibulae or brooch types based on a crossbow type form despite this pre-dating the crossbow and by the 5th century they were adapted by the Saxons arriving in England for their particular tastes and manufacturing abilities. Our example is a basic cruciform long brooch would have had an iron pin. these of course rust away and are very rarely found intact. The smaller brooches. such as this. were usually worn in pairs by women to attach the tunic at the shoulders or singly to attach a cloak.

Condition Summary. This varies with the age of the artefact and there are grades between

Extremely Fine (EF). Very slight traces of wear. all parts of pattern etc present. visible and clear

Very Fine (VF). Some signs of wear on the higher parts of the relief. all parts of pattern etc present. but may be worn

Fine (F). Wear on the artefact and parts of item and pattern etc may be missing or not visible