Roman Jewellery Bronze Hippocampus Brooch 1st-3rd Century

Description

Heading : Roman jewellery – Romano-British enamelled bronze hippocampus brooch

Material: Bronze

Period: Roman imperial

Date: 1st to 2nd century AD

Origin: Roman provinces including Britain

Condition: VF. pin missing. most of the enamelling remains

Description: A small copper-alloy plate brooch in the form of a hippocampus. decorated with cells of blue and red enamel. with a ring and dot eye. Sadly. the pin is missing. as is usually the case. as this was often made from iron. the first thing to deteriorate.

Size and Weight: 29mm x 20mm. 5.58g 

References: cf. Hattatt’s ‘Ancient Brooches’ p363

Features and Provenance: Roman jewellery Brooches as clothes fasteners have been made since the bronze age. As skills and metallurgy advanced. so did the size and detail of the brooches otherwise known as fibulae. They were still used by the Romans. as buttons had yet to be invented. This type of plate brooch depicts a mythical sea creature. the Hippocampus or Hippocamp. half horse and half fish with a dolphin-like tail and was said to pull Poseidon’s chariot across the oceans.

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