Файл:Early medieval penny of Wiglaf King of Mercia (FindID 816149-610934).jpg

The penny is of Wiglaf King of Mercia dated 830-840AD and the monyerer is Redmudh.

Description:

Remains of 3 brooches, 1 complete and two in fragments, a brooch pin, copper alloy boss, one coin, and other associated remains.

Brooch 1 (find 1)

Complete openwork silver disc brooch in the form of two overlapped lozenges with concave sides, one set diagonally to the other. This gives the impression of two crosses, one upright and one saltire-wise. This creates a central octagonal field divided into four quarters each containing foliate decoration picked out with niello: two featuring a pair of overlapped leaves, the other two with different scroll forms. Triangular fields in the arms of the lozenges are also decorated with foliate-based designs picked out with niello. The centre and the four points of the upright lozenge are marked by riveted domed bosses. The points of the saltire-wise lozenge each end with a drop-shaped projection divided into two fields: a lower drop-shaped one and a crescent-shaped one above. One of these is filled with a red substance, possibly enamel, or more likely iron corrosion deposits. A Trewhiddle-style beast emerges from each side of the base of these drop-shapes, its neck curving outwards and its head turning under facing the centre of the brooch to fill the spandrels (spaces between the arms of the two lozenges).There are therefore 8 of these beasts, each having a square-nosed snout, a dot for an eye, behind which is a curved triangular field. A 'plume' extends from the top of each beast's head to meet its curved neck. A pelta shape emerges beneath each beast's chin, one end curving to the back of the head and terminating with a circle, the other curving into the beast's mouth. On the reverse the one-piece pin-mechanism remains, riveted across the centre of the brooch at the ends and centre. It is slightly longer than the diameter of the brooch so its ends protrude. Its hooked catch also remains, but the sprung pin is broken off.
Diameter: 51.5mm
Length of pin-attachment strip: 54mm

Brooch 2 (find 6, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18)

A nearly complete silver openwork disc brooch in 9 fragments. Its reconstructed form would have been similar to brooch 1, although larger. The main difference is in the form of the beasts' head, which in this brooch are facing out, rather than inwards, with a tendril coming out of their mouths upward to meet the edge of the brooch. In the four central fields surrounding the central boss are Trewhiddle-style animal motifs, each different and nielloed. One is serpentine, its body interlaced with itself, with a dot for the eye on the head and a double collar around the neck. The other three all appear to be double-collared bipeds or quadrupeds; two of which are backward-turned, the other forward facing. The triangular fields in the arms of the lozenges are filled with a range of foliate designs, and one is filled with a triquetra. The points of the saltire-wise lozenge each end with a drop-shaped projection divided into two fields: a lower drop-shaped one and a crescent-shaped one above. Only 4 of the original 5 bosses remain. On the reverse of find 17 are the remains of the one-piece pin-mechanism, riveted in the centre.
Reconstructed diameter: 58mm

Brooch 3 (find 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9)

Silver openwork brooch in 6 fragments, of the same size and form as Brooch 1 and the form of the beasts' heads are the same. The foliate decoration in the four fields around the central boss differ, two being a pair of tri-lobed 'clover leaf' form, the other two being pairs of back-to-back scrolls. All five bosses remain. On the reverse the one-piece pin-mechanism remains, riveted at the ends and centre.
Diameter: 51.5mm
Length of pin-attachment strip: 54mm

Pin (find 8)

Silver pin with circular-cross section, with spring remaining. The nature of the break, looking as if it has been twisted or wrenched from the brooch relatively recently, suggests that it most likely belongs to brooch 1.
Length: 61mm

Boss (find 14)

?Copper-alloy domed boss with a ?copper-alloy collet. Not part of any other brooches, but its form is consistent with an early medieval date.
Diameter: 10mm
Height: 7mm

Other finds

The finder submitter other finds found in the vicinity of the three brooches, pin and boss, but it is not clear whether these are part of the hoard. This includes three flat pieces of iron (finds 20, 22 and 22), a large flat crescent of iron (find 24), a thin length of iron (find 19), and a fragment of animal bone (find 23).

Summary:

Find # DESCRIPTION BROOCH #
1 complete brooch 1
2 brooch fragment, central boss 3
3 brooch fragment 3
4 brooch fragment 3
5 brooch fragment 3
6 brooch fragment 2
7 brooch fragment 3
8 pin 1?
9 brooch fragment 3
10 brooch fragment 2
11 brooch fragment 2
12 brooch fragment 2
13 brooch fragment, with pin spring 2
14 boss N/A
15 brooch fragment 2
16 brooch fragment 2
17 brooch fragment, central boss 2
18 brooch fragment 2
19 length of iron N/A
20 flat piece of Iron N/A
21 flat piece of Iron N/A
22 flat piece of Iron N/A
23 bone N/A
24 iron crescent N/A

Discussion:

The three brooches are part of an expanding group of 9th century early-medieval brooches that are broadly characterised by their openwork, cross based form, often decorated with Trewhiddle-style decoration enhanced with the use of niello. The group is sometimes known as Elmsett-type brooches, from an example found at Elmsett in Suffolk (West 1998, 25, fig. 24.6), and are Weetch's Type 16 (Weetch 2013). There are currently 15 examples known to the author, 12 of which are silver, the remaining being gilt copper-alloy. Most take the form of an expanded-armed cross with second cross set at 45 degrees; the three brooches described here are the first examples where the crosses are instead formed of concave-sided lozenges.

These brooches can be dated based their use of the Trewhiddle style that can be placed in the 9th century.

This brooch hoard fits with the pattern of deposition seen in the corpus of Type 16 brooches. For example other hoards with multiple brooches of this type include the Galloway Hoard (National Museum Scotland), the South Norfolk Hoard (Norwich Castle Museum), and the Beeston Tor hoard (British Museum). These brooches are usually found in the east of England. However, these three, and an example from Nannerch, Wales (PAS LVPL-30A793), and the Galloway hoard further north, now create an interesting North West group, perhaps suggestive Viking activity.

The similarly of form and style of the three brooches, and the fact that there is huge variation across the corpus of Type 16 brooches, could suggest that they were made within the same workshop. As brooches 1 and 3 are similar in size with matching beasts' heads they may be considered a pair, but there is limited evidence that two matching brooches with a third slightly different one would have been worn together at this time. This suggests that the three brooches are unlikely to represent an individual's set of personal jewellery.

Non-destructive X-ray fluorescence analysis of the surface of brooch 1 and one the fragments, indicated silver contents of approximately 94-97%, the rest being mostly copper, with traces of other elements.

Date: 9th century.

Conclusion:

The objects fulfil the Treasure Act (1996) in that they are more than 300 years old and have a precious metal content exceeding 10%.

References:

Weetch, R., 2013. Brooches in Late Anglo-Saxon England within a North West European Context: A Study of Social Identities Between the Eighth and Eleventh Centuries. Unpublished PhD Thesis: University of Reading
West, S. E. 1998. A Corpus of Anglo-Saxon Material from Suffolk (Ipswich, Suffolk, Suffolk County Council).

Author:
Dr Rosie Weetch
Department Britain, Europe and Prehistory
British Museum