Page 6 - Oundle Life January 2021

Roman Brooches in
OUNDLE MUSEUM
One of the most common finds on a Roman archaeological site are brooches. During the Roman period the design of both men’s and women’s dress meant they had to use brooches to fasten their clothing together, so they were a practical item, but also became a fashion item too. Small brooches, often in whimsical animal forms, were worn by both soldiers stationed
in provinces such as Britain and by the local populations. Brooches can be a useful tool in helping to date an archaeological site and come in many different types. For example, ‘trumpet-shaped’ brooches, dragonesque (these are particularly decorative and gain their name from their s-shaped serpents or dragons), animals, birds and fish.
Most brooches found in Britain are made of bronze (copper-alloy) or iron or a mixture of both, and some from gold and silver but these are very rare and only the very rich would
be able to afford such items. Some have been found to be ‘tinned’ giving the bronze a silver appearance.
Two brooches we have on display in the Museum were found during excavations in the Roman settlement known as ‘Ashton’, (called Ashton because the site is within Ashton parish but we don’t know what it would have been called during the Roman period). Metal working workshops were discovered during
excavations so these items may well have been made there.
The first brooch is a lovely little duck, dating from the 2nd Century AD, and you can still see some of the enamel if you look closely. It’s definitely made of bronze although the photo makes it look like gold!
The second brooch, also dating from the 2nd Century AD, is probably depicting a little dog running with its tail and ears flailing behind!
They are both quite small measuring approximately 4cm in length.
Hopefully we will be able to open the Museum in March this year and you will be able to come and have a look at the real things, along with lots of other artefacts from the Roman period discovered in this area.
Carole Bancroft-Turner, Oundle Museum Management Committee Chair www.oundlemuseum.org.uk
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