File:Roman Plate Brooch (FindID 176578).jpg

English: Cast copper alloy Roman zoomorphic plate brooch. The brooch is a straight-sided sub-lozenge shape with six lugs projecting from the outer edges. It has possibly been designed to represent a turtle in a highly stylised form. The upper surface of the central body of the lozenge is divided into three main areas which are essentially two triangles flanking a central square. The two triangular areas hold remnants of the decayed enamel which is bright blue highlighted with white spots. No other enamel remains. The six lugs vary in shape. The ‘head’ is oval, the ‘front legs’ are circular, the ‘hind legs’, which form part of the main body and are therefore not true lugs, are kidney-shaped whilst the ‘tail’ appears to have been round but is damaged. The central square of the lozenge contains two circular divisions which presumably once contained enamel of an opposing colour to the surrounding area. One of these circles has been drilled to form a hole, perhaps for suspension of the object following the loss of enamel, pin or both. On the reverse of the brooch are the remains of the integrally cast but now broken pin fittings. A pair of projecting lugs which would have held a hinged pin lie at the ‘tail’ end whilst the remains of the upright for the catchplate lies beneath the ‘head’. The overall condition of the brooch is fair, the copper alloy has a brown green patina and there is some corrosion evident both on the reverse and on the front where there has been loss of enamel.

The brooch measures 35.02mm in length, including lugs and 19.13mm in width, also including lugs. It is 2.43mm thick and weighs 4.16g.

Brooches of this type typically date to the 2nd Century AD. No close design parallel for this brooch could be found at the time of writing this report but this is not unusual. Roman zoomorphic plate brooch designs are known to be extremely varied in their subject matter and design details.