EARLY MEDIEVAL BROOCH

An incomplete and worn cast copper-alloy disc brooch of probable Early-Medieval date. It is missing the edges of the disc, projecting knops, hinge, pin and catchplate due to old breaks. The plate is disc shaped in form, slightly convex with a concave back face, moulded front face, raised circular border and central enamelled/cloisonne setting. The brooch measures 30.43mm in diameter, 6.14mm in maximum thickness/height, and weighs 9.95g.The central setting is contained within a gilded circular collet with evenly spaced pellets on its outer face and surrounded by a gilded, circular beaded border. It is incomplete due to old breaks, however enough of the glass/enamel survives intact to be able to reconstruct its original form. This comprises a central wavy cross saltire in dark blue glass with central circular pellet of copper-alloy, the T-shaped or stepped cells this produces above and below filled with purple glass and those to the sides in white glass.Surrounding the central setting, the front face of the disc has worn, moulded and gilded decoration. This consists of four evenly spaced circular settings with raised sides positioned at each end of the cross saltire, all of which hav