EARLY MEDIEVAL BROOCH

475

A small fragment from the foot of a cruciform brooch, very similar in general type to SF-285877 (same location). The fragment appears to have been broken up, or created, in ancient times, and has a dark shiny brown patination on all surfaces. A smooth, flat surface from the foot above the head-terminal survives in part, finished by a straight transverse groove and with miniature ring-and-dot details beside the line, stamped obliquely so as to create crescentic or half-round motifs. Unlike the comparator mentioned, in this case there is no collar or domed profile to the head: the snout ridge begins immediately below the transverse section just mentioned, and is in the same plane, but with the sides of the snout falling away to either side. The eyes in this case consist each of a prominent central bead with a raised ring around it. The front of the snout is broken off, and on the underside the casting of the head is hollowed.