Colchester Archaeological Report 2: The Roman small finds

IRON FINGER-RINGS
With setting (Fig 52; 1793-1794)
1793 Fig 52 SF BKC 3402(C), J176 F32. Pit. Period 5c/6. In
fragments. Internal diameter 22.5 mm; D-shaped section,
height 2.0mm, thickness 2.0mm. The stone or glass of the
setting is missing.
Fig 52 White-metal and iron finger-rings (1:1)
EARRINGS (Fig 53; 1795-1798)
Earrings are rarely found, or rarely identified, or rarely
published. Many factors may contribute towards this
apparent scarcity. Earrings may have been genuinely
uncommon in the Roman period. The probable
preferred use of a stable precious metal (to prevent
the pierced ear from going septic) would reduce the
likelihood of casual loss and the fragility of decayed
copper-alloy or white-metal rings may have hindered
the identification of any fragments remaining. Only
three pairs of earrings and one individual ring have
been identified from recent excavations in the town.
In one case, 1798, both rings were held by corrosion
products in position on a skull in the Roman cemetery
in St John's Abbey grounds. The identification of the
others as earrings is not certain. See also the ?earring
used as a child's armlet. Fig 42, 1640.
1795 Fig 53 SF BKC 886, D275 L13. Town ditch fill. Anglo-Saxon.
A tapering piece of copper-alloy wire varying in section from
rectangular to circular and twisted into a rough loop.
Diameter 12.5 mm.
1796 Fig 53 SF BUC 329, B600 G110. Grave fill. Period 2. Two
plain copper-alloy ?earrings, in fragments. One almost
50
complete. Only this one is illustrated. Internal diameter
16.0mm; D-shaped to rectangular section, 1.0mm thick,
tapering from 6.0mm to 2.0mm in height. The thin end is
rather thick for an earring. Of the incomplete ring the thin
end is less than 1.5 mm in height. It may be that part of the
more complete ring is missing, though there appears to be a
good edge to the metal.
1797 Fig 53 SF BUC 642, C1275 G385. Grave fill. Period 2. Two
possible pendants from a pair of earrings. Each consists of
an opaque dark blue glass bead suspended from two linksof
copper-alloy double wire chain.
1798 Fig 53 SF IRB 95(C), F56. On a skull in the backfill of a 3rd- to
4th-century grave, no doubt derived from a disturbed
adjacent grave of similar date. Two copper-alloy earrings, in
fragments. One almost complete. This consists of a copperalloy
hoop with a twisted join, internal diameter oval, 19.0 by
23.0mm; circular section, 1.5mm thick. Suspended from
the hoop is a short length of wire twisted into a suspension
loop and carrying a decayed ?frit bead.
Fig 53 Earrings (1:1)
MISCELLANEOUS JEWELLERY (Fig 54;
1799-1801)
1799 Fig 54 SF BUC 1294(C), C1515 G404. Grave deposit. Period
2. An unusual item of ?jewellery consisting of a rectangle of
translucent colourless glass enclosed by a gilt copper-alloy
'envelope'. Two of the edges of the glass rectangle appear to
have been chipped to shape, the other two are cleanly cut.
There is a considerable degree of curvature to the glass,
probably indicating that it was cut to shape from an odd
fragment, perhaps from a broken vessel. The envelope is
formed by two sheets of copper alloy, each with a marginal
groove and a grooved cross that divides the face into four
small squares. A circle has been cut out from within each
square. The edges of the sheets are folded over to enclose
the glass, the slightly longer edges of one sheet overlapping
those of the other. It seems certain that there would have
been a rivet hole at each corner to attach the sheets firmly
together. Three rivet holes survive on one sheet. As the
outer face of each sheet has been gilded, the object was
presumably intended to be seen from each side. It is
uncertain, therefore, what method of attachment was used
to link this piece to the two others recorded as being seen in
the grave (1800-1) or on what item of jewellery or dress the
objects were displayed.
Pendants
1802 Fig 54 SF BUC693(C), C392 G278. grave deposit. Period 1.
Amber head, possibly female, pierced for suspension; height
approximately 19.0mm, in three fragments. The hair is piled