Unique Roman enamel brooch to go on display

A unique Roman brooch decorated with enamel in a zig-zag pattern has been acquired by the National Museums Scotland and will be going on display for the first time in a new exhibition. What makes it so extraordinary is that it fuses local Celtic artistic traditions with Roman design, creating a one-of-a-kind piece on the archaeological record of Roman Britain.

Created around 100-160 A.D., the brooch is made of bronze with the graceful curves of Celtic metalwork and is decorated on the surface with alternating squares of red and yellow enamel in the vibrant colors and miniaturized precision of Roman technique. It is 6cm (2.4 inches) long. Scientific analysis of the surface found that it was originally coated with a thin layer of tin. This would have made the enamel shimmer and complimented the bright colors.

It was discovered in 2022 by a metal detectorist in field near Pathhead, Midlothian. Archaeologists believe it was made in northern England by skilled craftsmen who used the Roman brooches brought in with the invading legions as the base for a new hybrid that integrated local and imported styles.

Dr Fraser Hunter, principal curator of prehistory and Roman archaeology at National Museums Scotland, said: “The Pathhead brooch is a miniature masterpiece of craftworking and the details are exquisite.

“Fancy Roman pieces like this were unusual even at the time and were used to show off in local society.”

The exhibition, Roman Scotland: Life on the Edge of Empire runs from November 14, 2026, through April 28, 2027. It will focus on life at the frontier of the Empire, the soldiers in the legions, the locals who lived around its forts and depended on the occupation forces, and the ones who were threatened by the arrival of the invaders. The extraordinary altar to Mithras with the cut-out solar rays will also go on display in the new exhibition.

Dr Hunter said: “We’re really excited to be able to present new finds like this, things that have never been seen before, because they’re some of the things that really help drive the story and this, in particular, because it tells that story of interaction, because it’s a style of brooch that mixes the local and the Roman.”

* This article was originally published here