Roman Silver Anchor Kräftig Profilierte Type Brooch

£300.00

A well preserved ancient Roman silver ‘Kräftig Profilierte’ anchor brooch, featuring an original catch-plate and pin. The body of the brooch consists of a protruding knob finial with a flat top and incised details, which leads to a shallow, triangular, flat catch plate. The  bow widens towards the head, altered from the usual trumpet-type with elongated arms, thus resembling an anchor. The head leads  to the flattened wings, which stretches across the whole of the coiled spring, which in turn is secured around an axis bar. The spring, made of 14 tight coils, forms the tapering pin, which rests within the catch plate. The axis bar within the centre of the spring may have once held perforated lugs, to hold ornamental chains.

 

Date: Circa 1st - 2nd century AD
Provenance: Ex Cambridgeshire private collection, 1990's-2000's
Condition: Very fine condition.

SOLD

SKU: CY-48 Category:

Fibulae or brooches were originally used in Ancient Greece and in the Roman Empire for fastening garments, such as cloaks or togae. The fibula designs developed into a variety of shapes, but all were based on the safety-pin principle. The Roman’s conquests spread Roman culture and therefore the use of the fibula, which became the basis for more complicated and highly decorated brooches, modelled in bronze, silver and gold and further enriched with precious and semi-precious gemstones. Fibulae are the most common artefact-type in burials and settlements throughout much of the continental Europe. By the Middle Ages, the Roman safety pin type of fibula had fallen into disuse.

This fibula is a variation on the strongly profiled brooch group, known as Kräftig Profilierte. From the material evidence they were centre to the East of central Europe, being a scarcity in Gaul and Britain. Those found in Britain would have come over with soldiers during the Roman invasion.

Weight 19.2 g
Dimensions L 4.2 x W 2.9 x H 2.3 cm
Culture

Metal

Region

Reference: For a similar item, The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, accession number 1984.588.

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