File:4th century Roman Crossbow brooch (FindID 66704).jpg

English: A beautiful copper-alloy bow brooch of the Crossbow type of Colchester derivative. The brooch is large and heavy, at 72 mm in length and weighing 31 g.

The foot of the brooch is 35 mm in length and 9 mm in width. The catchplate is situated immediately underneath and hidden from view by the foot. A recess between the foot and the catchplate is where the pin would once have rested. The front of the foot is decorated with ring and circle decoration.

The bow of the brooch rises in a steep arch from the foot to the head of the brooch, measuring 30 mm in length. It is bevelled and trapezoidal in section. At 4 mm from the foot there is a decorative ridge on the bow. On the right hand side (assuming one is looking at the brooch with the arc of the bow facing) traces of blue enammel can be discerned. Possible blue enammel is also visible in the recess of the catchplate.

The crossbar of the brooch is rectangular in section and is decorated with three lobed knobs, one at the end of each wing, and the other at the top of the bow. Unfortunately the left hand wing is missing. The remaining wing of the crossbar is decorated with ridged decoration on its upper side before it meets the lobed knob. There is a wide collar running around the crossbar immediately before the knob. The knob is surmounted with a circular knop. The knob at the top of the bow has been made separately with its stem inserted into a hole in the bow and rivetted over on the underside. The brooch originally had a hinged pin - although this is now missing ferrous corrosion all around the middle knob and centre of the crossbar attests its presence.

This artefact is very similar to an example given by Hattatt(1982, page 122-123; no 104), which he dates to the 4th century AD. Such brooches were probably restricted to Roman citizens and the very wealthy classes (Hattatt 1992, page 119).