Pennanular Brooch, Boonies Cottage

This artefact was found near Boonies Cottage, Bent Path in 1970, and is a good example of a period penannular brooch with pin. With a slightly flattened profile the broach has a small globe at each ends with the remnants of a small pin looped around the main section.   Roman decorative pieces  Copper alloy objects were often tinned or silvered. Tinning simply requires the object to be dipped in molten tin, while silvering was achieved by beating out silver foil and attaching it to the object with lead/tin solder.   Tinning was used for helmets, scabbard and belt fittings, cavalry harness and even armour. Silvering was used on cavalry equipment. Dagger sheaths were sometimes decorated with silver, brass or gold inlays. From the second century AD onwards enamel inlay became popular.