File:Roman, T-shaped brooch (front, side and reverse views). (FindID 121609).jpg

English: The object is Colchester derivative Polden Hill (flat wing ends, enamelled) brooch. It dates to the Roman period or the late first to mid second century AD (80-120AD). It is made of cast copper alloy and is incomplete. The brooch is a direct derivative of the earlier Polden Hill type brooch, and retains many of its predecessor's characteristics, such as the semi-cylindrical wings, the spring gear, which is secured by wing caps and an axis bar; and the catchplate.

In plan the object has short semi-cylindrical wings, with wing caps at each end. In profile, the wing caps are sub-circular, with a single perforation in each. One of the wings is complete while the other is slightly damaged. The wings caps would have been used to support an axis bar and a spring. The axis bar, spring and pin, are unfortunately, all missing. Instead of a rounded hump, the top of the bow is rectangular and flat, rising upward (slightly) from the side of the wings before taking a sharp downturn. In profile, the bow is almost an inverted L-shape. While in plan the brooch has a wide upper bow, which gradually tapers inwards to a rounded foot knob. In cross-section the upper part of the bow is D-shaped, with the front of the bow being flat, while the reverse of the bow is rounded. The bow hump is flanked on either side by small crescent shaped appendages which continue underneath the wings to form a slight under head bulge. The edges of the appendages are decorated by a series of incised lines. In the centre of the bow head, at the junction of the wings is a single backward facing hook, which was used to secure the overhead chord from the spring. Either side, of the hook, single incised lines run longitudinally along the edge of the flat, bow head. In plan the front of the bow consist of a flat rectangular enamelled panel. The panel consist of four pointed ovals, placed end to end, at alternate angles to one another. All four of the shapes are filled with white enamel. The rest of the panel is filled with copper alloy.

The bow leg is sub-circular in cross-section. Directly below the square panel, on either side of the bow legs is a single oval moulding. On the inside edge of each moulding is a single longitudinal rib. The ribs gradually taper inwards to form a single median rib with an incised groove down the centre. The rib is decorated with small incised, downward facing chevrons. The brooch has a domed foot knob with a groove running around its perimeter. The reverse of the bow, where the catchplate, joins the bow, is decorated on both sides by a longitudinal line of small, diagonal incisions. The catchplate extends the length of the bow leg and is stepped from the bow. It is sub-triangular in profile with a folded pin rest. Looking at the reverse of the brooch in plan, the outer edge of the pin rest is decorated by two traverse incisions at the top, with a diagonal incision in the centre. Below this are two more traverse incisions and below that is another diagonal one.

Despite a slight tear in the wings and slight damage to the catchplate, the brooch is in a fair condition. It is light green in colour and is 19.8mm wide across the wings; 51.3mm long from the wings to the base of the bow. The thickness of the head is 14.2mm and its weight is 12.60g.