III. Anglo-Saxon Button Brooches

Abstract

The term button brooch has been used to describe a variety of different types of small circular Anglo-Saxon brooches. In the past, these have been generally dated to the period beginning in the late fifth century and continuing through to the middle of the sixth. In this paper the term will have a rather more restricted use and apply only to those small saucer-shaped brooches whose main area of ornament consists of a representation of the human face and any other brooches which seem to be derived from this main type. One hundred and eighteen brooches fit into this definition although it has only been possible to examine personally one hundred and six of these. One brooch from Mucking (22.5) was cast in silver before being gilded, otherwise all the brooches were cast in bronze, presumably in a two-piece mould and, with one or two exceptions, were then gilded. The hinge-lug and catchplate were cast in one with the rest of the brooch and the majority of surviving pins indicate that these were made of iron, although six bronze examples have also survived. With the exception of one brooch, the catch section of the catchplate was always bent over in the same direction; to the right if the brooch is placed facedown and turned so that the catch is at the top and the hinge-lug at the bottom. The exception is a brooch from Collingbourne Ducis (11.1) where the turn is to the left.