Reader of IMPERIUM ROMANUM has made another discovery. Below the Roman road that connected the present-day town of Ribchester and Skipton, which were once Roman centres – Bremetennacum Veteranorum and Olenacum, respectively, a Roman brooch has been discovered.
This is the information provided by the lucky finder.
A lead model representing a T-shaped head and bow or a 1:1 scale Dolphin Roman brooch. As shown, the object has no mechanical strength and in this case also no hinge pin or spring to allow the brooch to function, together with the ratchet plate. The tip of the beak ends in a straight slightly curved edge. It may be a sample or model of a Roman brooch, or possibly a symbolic replacement for a brooch. The latter is encountered occasionally, though mainly in a funerary (Anglo-Saxon) context. There is a small number of lead brooches found in Britain (perhaps treated as moulds for casting).
The brooch is tinted with a medium whitish grey colour. Length 63mm, width 25mm, thickness 11mm.
