EARLY MEDIEVAL BROOCH

450

Good condition Anglo-Saxon cast copper alloy button brooch with a gilt surface. Button brooches are circular in shape and resemble miniature saucer brooches, although the relationship between these two brooch classes is not clear. This brooch is an example of Avent and Evison Class Ai. The brooch is 22 mm in diameter, and the thickness and weight are unknown. The brooch is slightly worn the raised decoration, with pale gilding remaining on all surfaces except on the edge of the rim, the nose of the facemask and 10% of the decorative border. This example has a complete, undamaged upturned rim. The upper face is decorated with a face-mask motif, which is comprised of 7 different elements. There is a pointed helmet with upturned ends, with a series of circular punchmarks running along its length. Immediately below the helmet are curved eyebrows with upturned ends, and is joined in the centre to a nose that flairs out at the nostrils. The eyes are small and rounded with curved, well placed eye-rings below. The oval shaped cheeks are full and almost completely rounded. The face has a wide, open mouth comprised of two pointed bars; the upper bar extends over the lower bar, and possibly represents a moustache. There is further decoration surrounding the face-mask, which is comprised of a flat decorative border with a ring of small circular punchmarks on its inside edge. The reverse of the brooch is unknown; its details were not recorded with the original PAS record.