Bird brooch from Roman Britain
Price: on request
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Object number
AR3456
| Object: |
Bird brooch from Roman Britain
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| Material: |
Bronze. Enamel inlays.
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| Period: |
2nd century AD. Roman Imperial period. |
| Description: |
Brooch in the stylized shape of a water bird. The wings are inlaid with blue enamel. There is still a remnant of the hinge and pin under the tail and a remnant of the catch plate under the chest. A local British production can be suspected, although the brooch type was made on the mainland as well. |
| Background: |
Fibulae were more than just brooches or pins for fastening garments. They were jewellery and status symbol and were worn prominently near the shoulder. This explains the abundance of fashionable shapes and styles that can be observed with surviving ancient pieces. They vary with region, era and social background of the wearer. Modern archaeology uses that distinctiveness to quickly attribute an archaeological find whenever a fibula is part of it.
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| Dimensions: |
35mm long.
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| Condition: |
Pin and catch plate as well as right wing tip are missing. Remains of the original inlays still preserved. Head slightly bent. Overall very good condition. Nice green patina. White inscription "2618" on the fibula. Includes original stand with inscription from the Hattatt collection.
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| Provenance: |
Acquired by us on the British art market in 2022. Exported under British export licence. The brooch was found in 2021 in Streatley parish, West Berkshire, Great Britain. The find was registered in the national finds database, the Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS), BERK-347F96.
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| References: |
Similar Richard Hattatt, Brooches of Antiquity (1987), pp. 225, fig. 71, no. 1150. Similar Richard Hattatt, A Visual Catalogue of Richard Hattatt's Ancient Brooches (1989), p. 361, fig. 220, no. 1150. Similar Richard Hattatt, Brooches and other Artefacts (1989), fig. 219, no. 1170. |
| Literature: |
As an alternative to the works of Hattatt we can recommend the following book as an introduction and for referencing: R. Heynowski, Bestimmungsbuch Archäologie 1, Fibeln (2012). |
| Authenticity: |
We unconditionally guarantee the authenticity of every artefact, all items are subject to our lifetime return policy on authenticity.
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