This Birdlip brooch was found by a metal-detectorist near Catterton in North Yorkshire this past June, and is believed to date between the late Iron Age and early Roman period.
Birdlip, or Beaked Bow, brooches date from between 30 BC and AD 60, and there are two known types: hinged and sprung. This is a hinged piece, which suggests that it is a later example. Such brooches are believed to be a British variant of the Continental Flugelfibel brooch and, while they are variable in appearance, these items are all characterised by a flanking hood, straight upper moulding, and a projecting ‘beak’.
This brooch is complete besides its pin, and is made of copper-alloy. It measures 55mm long and 14mm wide, and is comprised of a tubular head which extends out from an upper and lower bow. The upper bow is decorated with a double transverse ridge, below which projects the brooch’s characteristic upturned ‘beak’. The lower bow, which extends back below the head, is complete with a rounded point. The catchplate is on the back of the lower bow.
