Roman Empire, probably northern Europe: Gaul or Britain, ca. 100 to 300 CE. This is a bronze enamelled brooch in the shape of a wheel with a blue and white checkered pattern around a raised circle decorated with bright orange. Small plate brooches in whimsical forms were worn throughout the Roman Empire, but workshops to create them seem to have been centered in Gaul and Roman Britain; enamelling on base metals like bronze was a Celtic artistic tradition that the Roman Empire assimilated as they conquered territory. Like this one, these brooches are often elaborate and stylish, with bright blues, oranges, reds, and other colors, reminding us that, although today it can seem darker, the ancient world was just as colorful as our own. Size: 1.75" W x 1.8" H (4.4 cm x 4.6 cm)

Provenance: Ex - private New Jersey collection formed between 1960 and 1985

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#112519

Expected wear and patina, but with clear decoration and colors. The pin is no longer present.