Roman Jewellery Bronze Brooch or Fibula 1st Century AD

Description

Heading: Roman Jewellery – Bronze enamelled brooch

Material: Enamelled bronze

Period: Roman imperial

Date: 1st to 2nd century

Origin: Roman provinces

Condition: VF. remnants of the red and possibly white enamelling is present. the pin and catch-plate are intact which is unusual.

Description: A Roman jewellery zoomorphic bronze plate brooch with lozengiform body containing two concentric cells of two colour enamelling. the pin is present and the hinge and catch-plate are intact; the extended catch-plate end is modelled as a creature. possibly a fish or bird. with punched eyes and finely decorated scales or feathers on the area behind the head.

Size and Weight: 44mm x 22mm. 8.38g 

References: cf. Hattatt’s ‘Ancient Brooches’ item 1100. p352

Features and Provenance: Ex TimeLine. History of being in both US and UK collections since the 1990s.

Brooches as clothes fasteners have been made since the bronze age. As skills and metallurgy advanced. so did the size and detail of the fibulae. They were still used as Roman jewellery. as buttons as then had yet to be invented. This type of brooch was an adapted plate brooch and their ornamentation indicated a degree of affluence by the wearer and their delicate structure points at them being used on equally delicate. expensive fabric.

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