Anglo-Saxon Garnet Cloisonné Composite Disc Brooches: Some Aspects of their Construction

Abstract

AbstractAnglo-Saxon garnet cloisonne composite disc brooches form a small but important group of jewellery, representing an extremely high level of design and craftsmanship. While a good deal has been written about them in various contexts, this paper sets out to analyse the brooches in terms of their construction. All eighteen known examples (with the exception of one now lost) were examined in detail, from a practical manufacturing point of view, and a number of their components classified: cloisonne work, rims, back-plates, brooch fittings and general construction. On the basis of this examination, clear distinctions could be drawn between two groups — those with gold cloisonne work and those with copper-alloy. Within these groups, it is further possible to draw parallels between three sets of brooches (two pairs with gold cloisonne and a trio with copper alloy) which appear likely to have had a common manufacturing source.Very little is known of the Anglo-Saxon jewellers, but there can have been only ...