File:3rd century roman plate brooch (FindID 980320).jpg

English: An incomplete gilt copper-alloy Roman plate brooch dating to the second century.

Description: The brooch is of plate type, oval in shape plan. The edge is heavily owrn and abraded with the remaining border (likley the inner of hte original) is decorated with the inner zone has closely spaced cast lozenges in relief. There is a large central oval cell likely for a now missing intaglio or glass/enamel setting, possibly remaining as vitreous concretion within. The pinn loop remains although it in a heavily worn state. It is heavily mottled dark brown and light green, som gilding reminas.

Measurements: Length 27.2 mm, width 16.3mm, Thickness 7mm and Weight 4.7g.

Discussion: This brooch fits a group of oval plate roman brooches, which unusually including gilding. They were classified by Mackreath (2013) as Type 3.b2. A complete example amongst the small selection on this database is recorded at <a href="https://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/record/id/975347">NMS-6F15F9</a>. These were dated to the 3rd century AD.