File:233 roman buckle reverse (FindID 74405).jpg

English: An incomplete late Roman to early Medieval buckle of Hawkes and Dunning Type IA. Two dolphins facing/confronting each other with their mouths open, gripping the same rectangular object, these form the outside edge of the buckle frame. The bodies narrow and curve around to form the sides of the frame, which then simply merge into the strap bar, which is narrowed. The decoration is uncomplicated with no detail for the faces or sides of the buckle. The reason for this is probably because the buckle is unfinished. All around the edge there is the remains of the casting flash where the artefact has been taken from its mould and not cleaned up. As a result detail that would be cut into the object at a later date would not have been applied.

The artefact has a mid-dark green patina which is its original surface, there is one patch of light green bronze disease. It is 25mm long, 35mm wide, and 4mm thick. Overall, the artefact is in very good condition.

These buckles, according to similar examples that have been discovered at sites such as Colchester are believed to date to the late Roman period and thought to be military in origin; they are defined as buckle type IIA (Hawkes and Dunning 1961, 50-55, fig 17).