IRON AGE BROOCH

-300

Small copper-alloy brooch of La Tene I type, in very fragile condition. Two coils of the spring are visible, but much obscured by a lump of iron corrosion which is probably from an iron axis bar. The metal then flares and flattens into an oval or leaf-shaped bow, which is cracked across near to the top. The bow is decorated with a broad short flute in the centre, then a narrow groove to either side; these are then flanked with a pair of longer broad flutes and then finally a narrow groove border. A short length of rocker-arm engraving is visible on the lower part of the central flute and also perhaps on the left-hand one. At the base of the bow the metal becomes narrower and thicker again and curves downwards; the catchplate is missing (old break). Similar to Hattatt no. 1447, which was found at Belton, Norfolk. Iron Age, about 4th century BC.