File:Early-Medieval cloisonné-enamelled brooch (incomplete) (FindID 625430).jpg

English: A copper-alloy cloisonné-enamelled brooch, probably dating from the Late Early-Medieval period.

The brooch consists of a disc with a raised circular setting. The inset is contained within a copper-alloy ring, the individual cells within its geometric design bordered by bent strips of copper-alloy. This design takes the form of a stylised flower head in which an equal-armed cross, filled with orange enamel, is surrounded by four oval petals, each containing a light blue inset. The distal end of each cross arm flares into a drop-shaped petal, two of which are set with dark blue insets, the other two with light blue and orange, respectively. A dark blue enamel fills the surrounding field of the design. A right-angled rim projects beyond the base of the setting. Five equally-spaced lugs protrude outwards from this rim, the cell within one of the lugs retaining its light blue globular enamel inset. Remnants of two further such lugs can also be seen. The hinge and catchplate are located at opposite ends of the otherwise flat reverse of the brooch. The hinge appears to have comprised two right-angled lugs, with a single lug for the now-squashed catchplate.

Height: 18.6mm; width: 15.4mm; thickness: 6.2mm. Weight: 4.4g.

According to Helen Geake, the study of Late Anglo-Saxon cloisonné-enamelled brooches is still at an early stage; however, examples with geometric designs, such as this piece, are currently thought to date from the 10th or 11th century (Geake 2001: 24).