Colchester Archaeological Report 2: The Roman small finds

have been broken, but used after the damage as an
expanding ring. There is a broad front panel with marginal
grooves. Minimum internal diameter of ring 12.0mm.
BOX FITTINGS
FIRST BUTT ROAD BOX
A crushed wooden box or casket with copper-alloy
and iron fittings was found deposited in an east-west
oriented grave (G69) at Butt Road. Frequent incidents
of overnight vandalism and theft meant that the box
had to be lifted en bloc on the day of its discovery and
removed to the Trust's offices for 'excavation'. 6
This
inevitably resulted in further disturbance of both
fittings and contents, so that despite plans, sketches
and photographs taken at various stages of the work
both on and off site, only a broadly hypothetical
reconstruction can be attempted. The individual
elements are catalogued before the reconstruction is
described. Pieces not illustrated are described in the
main text.
Copper-alloy fittings (Fig 90; 2171-2198)
2171 Fig 90 SF BUC 166(C), B205 G69. Corner brace with one
long edge of the long side obliquely notched, or 'feathered'.
Length of long side 36.0mm, length of short side 16.0mm.
Width of long side 19.0 by 21.0mm, width of short side
19.0mm. There is a scar from an iron-shafted, ?lead-filied
copper-alloy stud towards the end of each side.
2172 Fig 90 SF BUC 169(C), B208 G69. Corner brace with one
edge of both sides feathered. Length of long side 41.0mm,
length of short side 20.0mm. Width of long side 19.0mm,
width of short side 18.0mm. Marks of studs in similar
positions to those on 2171.
2173 Fig 90 SF BUC 175(C), B209 G69. Corner brace with one
edge of both sides feathered. Length of long side 35.0mm,
length of short side 19.0mm. Width of long side 19.0mm to
21.0mm, width of short side 19.0mm. Marks of a stud at
each end.
2174 Fig 90 SF BUC 161(C), B285 G69. The long side only of a
corner brace, feathered on one edge. Length 36.0 mm, width
21.0mm. There is the mark of a stud at the end.
2175 Fig 90 SF BUC 212(C), B183 G69 Winged lobate corner
fitting, the right hand side is damaged. The object has been
folded round a corner of the box and secured on the short
side by two iron nails, and on the long side by an ironshafted,
?lead-fiIled copper-alloy stud. The entire
circumference of the fitting was feathered (as 2176), except
possibly on the short side, which is now very worn. Length of
long side 45.0mm, length of short side 6.0mm. Maximum
width (incomplete) 28.5 mm.
2176 Fig 90 SF BUC 211(C), B184 G69. Winged lobate corner
fitting as 2175, complete except for the tip of one wing. The
feathering on the circumference is visible on part of the
short side. As with 2175 the short side was secured to the
box by two iron nails, the head of one still survives in situ,
and the long side by a composite stud. Length of long side
40.0mm, length of short side 11.0mm. Maximum width
40.0mm.
2177 Fig 90 SF BUC 159(C)/181(C), B218/320 G69. A winged
lobate fitting similar to 2175 and 2176 but not bent and
with no apparent means of attachment to the box, though
there is a circular mark on the lobe, possibly where a boss
had been soldered to the fitting. Length 51.0mm, maximum
width 38.0mm.
2178 Fig 90 SF BUC 209(C), B182 G69. Composite boss (or stud)
with copper-alloy head filled with a ?lead solder. No trace of
an iron shaft can be distinguished without damaging the
object. Only slightly convex, diameter 24.0mm. Part of the
head is missing.
85
2179-82 Fig 90 SF BUC 218(C), B186 G69. Four (only one
illustrated) composite convex studs, lifted on site from the
lock-plate. All have copper-alloy heads and iron shafts, and
are filled with a ?lead solder. All are slightly crushed and
distorted, and the shafts are broken. Average diameter
15.0mm.
2183 Fig 90 SF BUC 190(C), B187 G69. Very slightly convex plain
stud. Diameter 27.0mm, length 16.0mm.
2184 Fig 90 SF BUC 165(C), B210 G69. Composite convex stud
similar to 2179-2182 with broken iron shaft. Damaged.
Diameter 23.0mm.
2185 SF BUC 187(C), B281 G69. Fragments of a composite
convex stud with iron shaft. Diameter approximately
19.5mm.
2186 SF BUC 162(C), B282 G69. Fragments of the ?lead solder
filling from a composite stud.
2187 SF BUC 156(C), B286 G69. A badly damaged composite
convex stud. Diameter approximately 18.0mm.
2188 SF BUC 181(C), B320 G69. A badly damaged composite
convex stud. Diameter 24.0mm.
2189-90 SF BUC 181(C), B320G69. Fragments of two composite
convex studs. Average diameter approximately 16.0mm.
2191 Fig 90 SF BUC 181(C), B320 G69. Small composite convex
boss (or stud). There is no sign of an iron shaft. Diameter
9.0mm.
2192 Fig 90 SF BUC 216(C), B186 G69. A strip with slight convex
mouldings on each long side and bent to fit round a corner of
the box. There are marks from two composite studs on the
long side, and of a third on the short side. Length of the long
side 49.5 mm, length of the short side 17.5 mm. Width
31.0mm.
2193 Fig 90 SF BUC 216(C), B186 G69. A corner brace of more or
less square section, 3.0 by 3.0mm, with flattened round
Pierced terminals and two copper-alloy nails (16.0 and
18.5mm long), one of which was found in situ through a
terminal. Length of longer side, 35.0mm, length of shorter
side 28.0mm.
2194 Fig 90 SF BUC217(C), B186 G69. A copper-alloy plate,
folded to pass round a corner of the box. The plate is irregular
in shape, being more or less rectangular, but with one short
side splaying outwards for most of its length, then sharply
inwards at the fold. There is a mark from a composite stud at
each side and a hole from a nail or rivet at each end of the
fold. Preserved on the back, or inside, of the plate are an iron
staple, an iron nail and iron-impregnated wood. Length of
long sides 80.0 mm, width to the fold 31 5 mm, width over
the fold 8.5 mm.
2195 Fig 90 SF BUC 217(C), B186 G69. Gilt copper-alloy lock
plate, with a gilt rotary ring-key held in the lock by corrosion
products. The edges of the plate have repoussé piecrust
decoration, and there are scars from four composite
studs, one at each corner of the plate. Two are right on their
respective corners and two, those at the top of the plate, are
set about 15.0 mm down. The plate is not quite rectangular.
Length 90.0 mm, width 81.0 to 84.5 mm. Part of the lock
mechanism and some fragments of wood are preserved at
the back of the plate.
2196 SF BUC 148(C), B219 G69. Copper-alloy nail, similar to
those found with the corner brace 2193. Circular section
shaft, length 13.5 mm.
2197 Fig 90 SF BUC 184(C), B316 G69. Spatulate object with
shaft of circular section flattened at one end. Length
54.5 mm. The position of this piece relative to the other
items from the box was not recorded. It may be from the fill of
the grave.
2198 Fig 90 SF BUC 179(C), B318 G69. Object found at the bottom
of the box. The central part is semicircular in section, and the
two ends circular. Length 44.0mm, maximum diameter
5.0mm.
Iron fittings (Fig 90; 2199-2213). All the nails have
square section shafts.
2199 Fig 90 SF BUC 149(C)/152(C)/182(C), B213/214/215
G69. An almost complete loop hinge. The pierced strap,