File:Roman Zoomorphic Duck Brooch (FindID 233622).jpg

English: An incomplete Roman copper alloy zoomorphic brooch in the form of a swimming duck. The brooch is missing part of the catchplate, the pin and small loop at the tail end. The brooch plate representing the body of the duck is sub-oval in plan, has a flat underside and in section is thicker at the head end, tapering towards the tail. The neck and head extend from the thicker end. They are stylised and the beak has an exaggerated curve and widens towards a broad curved terminal end. The upper side of the plate representing the body of the duck is divided into four small cells that would once have been enamelled. Running from the base of the neck to the tail is a central triangular area that is divded into two triangular cells that widen towards the tail end. These have traces of enamelling that has lost most of its colour but may possibly have been yellow. To either side of this central area are further recessed cells representing the duck's wings that are now missing their enamelled decoration. At the tail end can be seen two very short projections that when complete would have formed a small loop that probably served as a point of suspension for a small chain of some kind. On the underside of the brooch at the head end is a small semi-circular catchplate that is slightly damaged. At the tail end are two semi-circular lugs that hold the remains of the spring and pin, the spring has one turn either side of the start of the pin, which is missing due to old breaks. The brooch measures 29.01mm in length, 8.34mm in width, and weighs 2.58g. This brooch belongs to a group of zoomorphic Roman brooches in the shape of stylised ducks that date to the second century AD. Close parallels to this example are found in Hattatt (2000: pp. 360, fig. 219, nos. 1168-1170) and on the PAS database from Buckinghamshire (BUC-2502F0), Hertfordshire (BH-12BA82) and Norfolk (NMS-007A94).