Description
Heading: Iron Age Celtic bronze spectacle brooch 10th-6th Century BC
Material: Bronze
Period: Iron age Celtic
Date: 10th to 6th centuries BC
Origin: Celtic Europe
Condition: F, green patina, corroded in parts, previously broken and repaired, despite this, this piece is unusually large and therefore rare.
Description: A very large bronze brooch formed of two coils of finely worked rod, with openwork centre, any pin is no longer attached
Size and Weight: 140mm, 129g
Features and Provenance: Ex TimeLine auctions; previously from an English collection formed in the 1980’s
The spiral pattern has been associated with the Celts but also earlier on rock art as far back as the Neolithic. It is supposed to symbolise balance and its symmetry would suggest this. Formed of coils of thin wire rod, the skills needed to have made this at such an early date is astounding. The ‘spectacle’ design is also seen as a clothing fastener, pendant and in triskele form. Sadly any attachment mechanism, such a pin, has been lost to time; how this heavy piece of jewellery was ever worn is left to the imagination.
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
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