NOTES ON A COLLECTION OF ROMAN ANTIQUITIES. 259 



i| inches in length, and in the form of a round shield. The 

 central boss or elevated portion has four oval receptacles 

 containing a beautiful blue enamel. Surrounding these are 

 eleven other enamel discs in blue, and round the edge of the 

 brooch are six smaller and two larger projections of bronze, 

 part of one of the latter being broken away. Of a somewhat 

 similar type, though only measuring i£ inch in greatest width, 

 is that shown in Plate XXV, fig. 6. It has originally had eight 

 projections, but two of these are now missing. There is a 

 central depression, and two sunk circles,* which have probablv 

 been enamelled, though all trace is now gone. A somewhat 

 unusual form occurs in Plate XXV., fig. 4, the catch for the 

 acus being under the large projecting portion, in addition to 

 which there are seven other points, each of which appears 

 originally to have had a small knob at the apex. In the 

 centre of this brooch is a jewel, possibly a garnet, which has 

 been inserted in a hole drilled right through the brooch, and 

 shows on the under side. A ring running round the outside 

 appears to have been filled with blue enamel, and there are 

 traces of red in the centre. A pretty brooch in the form of a 

 small shield, and measuring seven-eighths of an inch across, 

 is shown in Plate XXV. , figs. 7 & yu. This does not appear to 

 have been ornamented ; it contains a catch and a hinge for the 

 acus complete. Two very small brooches, each of which is 

 enamelled, are shown in Plate XXV., figs. 1 & 2. The first of 

 these consists of three discs touching each other on the edges, 

 and having a triangular design in the centre. The other, 

 when complete, evidently had four similar discs, with a de- 

 sign consisting of four concave sides in the centre. The first 

 brooch is the most complete, and has traces of red enamel in 

 the centre of each disc, the triangular area in the middle 

 being also filled with enamel. The other brooch has red 

 enamel on each disc, the middle being occupied by blue. 

 Types of brooches similar to figs. 1-9 on Plate XXV. are 

 generally thought to be of the 2nd and 3rd centuries a.d. 



Other brooches. Of evidently a somewhat early type of 

 brooch, are several examples in which both the fibula and the 

 acus are made out of one piece of bronze. On these (see 

 Plate XXVII., figs. 9, 10, 11, & 12) the bronze has been 

 carefully wrought, twisted round in the centre to form the 

 spring, and flattened and bent over at the opposite end to 

 receive the point of the acus. On some of these the spring 

 is held in position by the catch on the back of the brooch, 

 which in one instance has been hammered flat ovei the 



