Roman Jewellery Bronze Horse Brooch 1st-2nd Century AD

Description

Heading: Roman jewellery – Bronze horse brooch 1st-2nd century AD

Material: Bronze with enamelling

Period: Roman imperial

Date: 1st to 2nd century AD

Origin: Roman provinces, possibly Romano-British

Condition: Fine, often found with the extremities missing, this is a delightful piece with remnants of enamelling and the pin present but is static. A repair to the back leg and loss to the front does not detract from this lovely zoomorphic brooch.

Description: A bronze plate fibula shaped as a horse, cells with remnants of red enamelling, although the surface is slightly corroded the edge detail is sharp and the horse’s mane is well defined.

Size and Weight: 35mm x 25mm, 5.04g 

References: cf. Hattatt’s ‘Ancient Brooches’ p359

Features and Provenance: 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 by the Romans, as buttons had yet to be invented. This type of zoomorphic brooch is thought to be derived from Celtic patterns of fibula and have been found in Britain and across Europe.

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