Early Early-Medieval (late 5th to 6th centuries) saucer brooch made from gilded copper alloy. It is sub-circular and has abraded and incomplete edges. There is an incomplete lipped edge which is obliquely angled outwards. The front of the brooch is decorated with high-relief Style I animal motifs that are degenerate and are spiralling around a central undecorated boss. The motifs are formed by triple-stranded curved blocks all within a high-relief border with transverse grooves. The angled rim has a fine linear groove running around the base. <p class="mw-empty-elt"></p>
<p>The reverse has two incomplete, integral lugs, one at each edge. One lug is perforated and is incomplete, the other only a trace remains and was the catchplate. The pin and spring are missing.</p>
<p>There is a block of grey coloured patina between and around the two lugs. Otherwise the surface of the brooch has a well-developed mid grey-green patina, but on the outer face there are also traces of gilding.</p>
<p>The brooch measures 41.37mm long, 38.16mm wide, 8.77mm thick at the catchplate and weighs 21.28g.</p>
<p>The brooch is a saucer type brooch. In England this type of brooch tends to be found in burials and date to between the late 5th and 6th centuries. They are brooches which are found in female graves, and are considered to have played a role in symbolising status, and the design of the brooch may represent an allegiance to a common tradition (Dickinson; 39). The style of decoration is formed by Style I motifs which are degenerate which tends to date to the 6th century.</p>
<p>Dickinson, T. 1993 'Early Saxon Saucer Brooches: A Preliminary Overview' Anglo-Saxon Studies in Archaeology and History 6 p. 11-44</p>
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Birmingham Museums Trust, Angie Bolton, 2019-09-19 20:28:38</div>
CC BY 2.0
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