File:Early-Medieval (Anglo-Saxon) Miniature Square-Headed Brooch (FindID 240564).jpg

English: An incomplete cast copper alloy and gilded small square-headed brooch of Early-Medieval (Anglo-Saxon) date (c. AD 475 – c. AD 575). Length: 21.7mm; width across the head: 18.6mm and 3.2mm thick at the centre of the bow. Weight: 2.84g.

Viewing the brooch in plan, the head-plate is sub-rectangular (18.6mm x 11.5mm) and the longer side is horizontal. Part of the head-plate frame is missing. The surviving part of the head-plate frame has repetitive sub-oval punch marks. These are, however, unevenly spaced. The rectangular head-plate inner panel is enclosed by a narrow raised border along the top and at each side. The inner panel within this border is decorated with a raised horizontal rectangular moulding which is surrounded by a rectangular moulding. This rectangular moulding has regularly spaced punch marks in the form of small ‘nicks’. The evenly arched bow is about 7.5mm in length and 6.0mm in width. At the front it has a pronounced longitudinal median swelling. Either side of the swelling there are two minor parallel ribs extending through the full length of the bow. All four of these ribs have similar punched ‘nicks’ as those aforementioned. A break has occurred just below the bow and only a tiny portion of the foot-plate has survived. This surviving part has moulded decoration.

The reverse of the head-plate, the bow and portion of foot-plate are flat. At the centre of the head-plate, on the reverse, there is a single perforated lug that secured the pin mechanism. The pin has not survived and all that remains is a small deposit of iron corrosion.

The front of the brooch is gilded although this has worn off the median swelling on the bow and also the inner border of the head-plate. The rear face is corroded although the corrosion itself has a mid-green patina which is speckled with iron staining.

There is no evidence for burning or melting.

Similar style brooches are published in MacGregor, A and Bolick, E. 1993.”Ashmolean Museum, Oxford: A Summary Catalogue of the Anglo-Saxon Collections”. 123-24. British Archaeological Reports, British Series 230. Oxford: Tempvs Repartvm.