Colchester Archaeological Report 2: The Roman small finds

length 31.5mm, width along the bar 39.5mm. (See also
Crummy 1977. fig 2. 2.)
4174 Fig 144 SF LWC 3302(C), J1022. ?Contaminated, or Period 2
demolition. A rosette stud probably from an apron. The
surface is decorated with an outer band of petal shapes,
alternately facing inward and outward, and an inner simple
floret of petals facing inwards on a central dot. Decoration
on these studs is very varied (Webster 1958, fig 6, 151) and
the circumference of the studs themselves may be rosetteshaped
or plain. Diameter 20.0 mm. Most of the shaft, which
would have been riveted, has broken off.
4175 Fig 144 SF LWC 3450(C), J1228. Floor. Period 2. A fragment
of a rosette stud with roughly incised decoration. Diameter
17.5 mm.
4176 Fig 144 SF LWC 3488(C), J1297 F434. Pit. Period 1. A bone
buckle. The tongue is hinged to the buckle by means of a
copper-alloy riveted bar, 2.0mm in diameter, which passes
through two lugs on the buckle and one on the tongue and'
has a bone cap at one end. The cap at the other end is
missing. The length of the bar projecting beyond the lug at
this end is some 2.0mm shorter than that of the surviving
cap. This may indicate an inadequate (and now missing)
repair, especially taking into account the neat line formed by
the surviving cap and the frame of the buckle. The tongue fits
so tightly into the frame that it must have been made from a
separate piece of bone. Its form is of a stout but standard
military buckle tongue with projecting bars.
The inner element of the buckle is also of standard military
buckle form with the inner cut-out forming a pelta (Hawkes
and Hull 1947, pl 102, 18-23), but with rather more ornate
flourishes of scroll decoration flanking the tongue. The
terminal of one flourish is missing. A bone buckle of later
date with similar flourishes comes from Saalburg
(Oldenstein 1976, Taf 74, 974). The outer and dominant
element of the buckle is a rectangle with knobbed corners
and sides curving inwards except at the hinge end. This
frame is decorated with grooves and incised lines that
slightly exaggerate the outline and lighten what may
otherwise have been a rather heavy shape. The maximum
dimensions of the buckle are 47.0 by 42.0 by 9.0 mm except
at the swell of the tongue where the thickness increases to
12.0mm. (See also Crummy 1977, fig 2, 5.)
4177 Fig 144 SF LWC 3849(C), K554. Floor or make-up? Period 1?
A slightly domed stud with incised debased rosette design of
a cross with bifurcated and thickened ends. Each arm of the
cross is intersected by an outward facing crescent (ibid, fig 2,
3). Diameter 21.0mm, length 7.0mm.
4179 Fig 144 SF BKC 1719(C), E1046 L314. Ditch (F230) fill.
Period 2. This piece is probably a belt-plate as it is rather
wider than a hinge from laminated armour, though it could
be civilian rather than military. There are five rivet holes
placed asymmetrically through the doubled-over plate.
Length 28.0mm, width 25.0mm.
4181 Fig 144 SF BKC 5335(C), V592 L73. Sandy clay floor. Period
2. A fragment of an apron mount with traces of incised
decoration which possibly held niello inlay (Webster 1958,
fig 6, 174). Surviving length 26.5mm, width 11.0mm.
Copper-alloy fittings from laminated body armour
(Fig 145; 4182-4190).
Full descriptions and illustrations of the laminated
body armour (lorica segmentata) supplied to
legionaries in the mid to late 1st century can be found
in Robinson 1975, 174-82.
4182 Fig 145 SF LWC 938(C), A309. Destruction debris. Period 1
destruction. Lobate cuirass hinge (ibid, fig 182) with central
iron riveted bar. Both sides of the hinge are damaged and
distorted. Maximum surviving length 55.5 mm, maximum
surviving width 30.0mm. (See also Crummy 1977, fig 2. 7.)
4183 Fig 145 SF LWC 1189(C), B648. Floor. Period 2. Fragments
of a buckle from a cuirass (or baldric) strap (Robinson 1975,
fig 179). The loop is distorted and the flattened terminals are
damaged. Length of the bar 28.0mm.
4186 Fig 145 SF BKC 605(C), A116 (L17). In fortress ditch (F39).
Period 1. A hinged cuirass or baldric strap fitting. The two
130
rivets on the side of the hinge are domed, on the other side
one rivet is missing and the other is flat-headed and rough,
probably a repair. Length 42.0mm, width 17.5 mm.
Fig 145 Fittings from laminated body armour from contexts dated
43 to 60/1 (1:1)
ARMS
Shield (Figs 146 and 147; 4191-4193)
4191 Fig 146 SF LWC 1133(C), B602. Dump. Period 1. Three
fragments of copper-alloy binding from an oval wooden
shield. Oval shields were used by cavalry and infantry
(Ritterling 1913, 143). One piece only is illustrated. The
binding is of U-shaped section and gently curved (ibid),
though each piece has in places been distorted and
flattened. On each fragment a more or less semicircular pair
of lugs survives joined by a dome-headed rivet. Lengths
108.0mm (illustrated), 117.0mm, 104.0mm. (See also
Crummy 1977, fig 2, 1.)
4192 Fig 146 SF CPS 941(C), 1075. From section in contractor's
trench. Probably 43 to 60/1. A fragment of copper-alloy
binding possibly from a hexagonal cavalry shield (Hawkes
and Hull 1947, 337 and fig 63, 1; Ritterling 1913, 143). The
binding is thick and folded into a narrow U-shaped section.
One face, presumably that on the front of the shield, is
decorated with diagonal slashes. Length 92.0mm.
4193 Fig 147 SF BKC 3741 (C)/3856(C), J310/322 F69. Oven.
Period 2. An iron shield boss. The boss has a flat rim, most of
which is missing, and a low vertical wall surmounted by a
simple cone. On one of the rim fragments is a possible trace
of a stud for fixing the boss to the shield. Surviving maximum
diameter 173.0mm, height 65.5mm.
Sword (Fig 148; 4194)
4194 Fig 148 SF LWC 4099(C), J1705. Dump or occupation.