Decorative garment accessories such as pins, brooches and fibulae have been prevalent in the archaeological record of Europe and the Near East for millennia. Anglo-Saxon brooches, known as dalc or spennel, were mainly worn by women to fasten their dresses and cloaks. Much stylistic influence was from the proximate Celtic, Roman and Germanic cultures, and as such Anglo-Saxon brooches come in a rich variety of shapes, designs and materials. Disc-shaped brooches, such as this fine example, feature alongside cruciform, trumpet, faunal and bow shapes, and the bronze was often embellished with colourful enamels and intricate engravings. Brooches could also carry religious motifs and symbolic meanings, as well as being a visual marker of status and wealth.
Anglo-Saxon Gilt Bronze Saucer Brooch with Decorative Engraving
£ 1,500.00
A very fine Anglo-Saxon gilt-bronze brooch featuring an intricate decorative engraving. The brooch is of a circular ‘saucer’ shape, with a shallow, subtly concave body and upwards sloping sides. The engraving on the obverse is arranged in a radial circular pattern around a central stud. A thin encircling ring is itself encircled by a band of assorted, twisting incisions, possibly depicting foliage or fauna. Another thin ring separates this from the next band of shorter and more linear incisions. The design is perhaps a descendent of the Mithraic sol invictus motif in which several concentric circles represented the sun, common on early brooches when Roman influence was stronger. The reverse is unworked and features a catch plate and a pierced protrusion from which a pin would have been attached. Green patination coats the reverse and the lip of the interior. There is some dark discolouration to one side of the obverse.
Condition: Very good. Some discolouration to one side of the interior.
In stock
| Weight | 20.48 g |
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| Dimensions | W 4.2 x H 1.3 cm |
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