File:Early early-medieval great square-headed brooch (FindID 747566).jpg

English: A fragment of copper alloy early-medieval brooch of great square-headed type, dating to c.500-575 (MacGregor and Bolick, 1993; 111). The fragment consists of the bottommost lobe of the footplate which has damaged, bent edges and a worn break at the point it would have extended into the central part of the footplate. It is decorated in Salin's Style I, the lobe displaying two confronted anthropomorphic face-masks. In shape the fragment is convex-sided, measuring 12.9mm wide at its narrowest and expanding at either end to 13.3mm (at the break) and 18.4mm.

The lobe is widest and roundest at its base. To the front this takes the form of the larger of the two anthropomorphic face-masks. It is upside-down if viewed with the wide, complete end at the bottom. Turning it up the other way so the head is viewed the right way up the face is circular in shape. The wide triangular forehead/ helmet has incurving edges at the brow-ridge, meeting at a dipped central point. These are defined by ribs and extend into a long triangular nose, prominent and widening at its base. Above the nose and bisecting the forehead/ helmet is a vertical rib. The resulting triangular areas to either side are undecorated.
Beneath the brow ridge and to either side of the nose is a pointed oval depression with a longitudinal raised rib at the centre, set diagonally to represent eyes. The cheek area which runs around the eye from brow ridge to nose is C-shaped. The end of the nose extends beyond this, projecting forwards and being the most prominent part of the object (6.9mm in thickness from the reverse). To the reverse of the object, the area behind the circular face is concave (max.2.1mm deep).
Below the nose the design is in a much lower relief. Directly below is a filled 'W' shape, and beyond this a pentagonal area to fit inside the triangle of the 'W'. At the centre of the pentagon is an incised rectangle with a rounded end (at the apex of the pentagon). If the object is now turned back to the other way up, this pentagonal area sits directly below a smaller face-mask. It is of the same shape as the first face-mask though is far lower relief with no decorative rib details along the brow ridge and head. The end of the nose projects forward a little but the forehead/ helmet is the most prominent part of the mask (max.3.8mm in thickness from the reverse). The incised design on the pentagon may represent a tongue.
To the reverse of the lower-relief part of the lobe is a central rib narrowing from 3.7mm wide at the worn break to 2.8mm at the concave area behind the large face-mask. It is c.1.5mm thick and is the extension of the catchplate, which would have been placed further along the footplate.
From the break to just before the top of the cheeks on the larger face-mask, runs a thick rim flanked to the inside by a beaded border. To one edge this is a little twisted and damaged, perhaps the result of extreme (hot) temperatures.

The metal is a dark brown in colour with some spots of bright green corrosion product. The patina is smooth to touch with some areas of pitting, particularly to the reverse. No trace of gilding survives although it undoubtedly would have been gilded originally. The fragment measures 36.3mm in length, 18.4mm in width and 7.6mm in max.depth. It weighs 9.09g.