File:Early Medieval great square-headed brooch (FindID 873241).jpg

English: A fragment of a copper alloy early medieval great square-headed brooch, Hines's group XII, dating from the later 5th to 6th centuries. The fragment consists of the headplate, a fragment of a footplate was found close by (BUC-07C568) and is likely to be from the same brooch.

The headplate of the brooch is decorated with a raised motif, and is divided into four sections by a series of borders.
The inner panel of the headplate is decorated with a central rectangular motif, consisting of two raised rectangular frames. Within the two frames are three rows of four raised rectangles. In between the rectangular frames are three raised vertical lines. Surrounding all this is a raised rectangular border, followed by a thick high-relief frame. From the upper corners of this frame a lentoid motif projects on both corners.

The next section of the headplate is decorated with irregular interlacing of raised triple strands, this is interrupted in the lower part of the section by the triangular shaped high relief bow which starts to curve downwards. This seems to be decorated with a series of horizontal lines, and the bow widens outwards to the left and right below the headplate, and arches both sides. As the bow descends along the two edges are raised rectangular pellet borders running vertically, with a raised border along both edges. The bow terminates in a worn break running horizontally across. The high relief frame that surrounds this section is only on three sides, the lower edge is the main outside border of the headplate. As with the inner frame the upper corners have lentoid motifs projecting on both corners.

The next section is decorated with a triangle-in-circle motif border, the two side sections containing six and the upper section containing eight. Running along the inside edge and the lentoid motifs is a raised line. This is surrounded by the headplate frame. The sides of the frame are undecorated. The upper section of the frame is decorated with an interlocking triangular border. The downward facing triangles are decorated with an incised cross hatching, the upward facing triangles are undecorated.

There is no decoration or gilding on the reverse of the brooch. On the lower part of the headplate are two projecting lugs, both are worn and broken. The left one has the remains of a circular recess, and there is traces of iron and iron corrosion between them.

The brooch headplate has a dark green patina. The brooch is gilded, the remains of this is mainly in the recesses of the decoration. The headplate measures 65.9mm in length, 56.3mm in width, and 10.9mm at maximum thickness. It weighs 65.57g.

Similar decoration on a headplate can be seen in Hines 1997, page 102, number 51b, and in records WAW-602D36 and WAW-3E1443.