Silver Gilt with garnets, 148.13 mm, 90.00 grams. Early to mid-6th century AD. This is a Frankish-type radiate-headed bow brooch. The D-shaped headplate bears a series of chip-carved spiral motifs, within a heavy border from the outer edge of which emerge five circular-section undecorated lobes. The bow shows vestigial panels of similar spiral decoration, mostly lost to abrasion. The lozengiform footplate has a central panel bearing symmetrically arranged foliate scroll motifs. The outer edges are marked with a heavy, ridged border which loops around above the terminal to form a vestigial bird-head. From these edges emerge eight small lobes, each set with a cabochon garnet, the lower pair forming the eyes of the bird-heads. Below this is a broad, ribbed collar which becomes the neck of a zoomorphic face. A lentoid cabochon garnet forms the upper face of the terminal. There are remains of the pin-spring on the back of the headplate. Reference: similar to Rhineland examples from Andernach and Bonn, Germany - see Kühn, H. Die Germanischen Bügelfibeln der Völkerwanderungszeit in der Rheinprovinz (Bonn, 1940), Taf. 67: 6,3; 6,5; 6,6. Kühn's map is now superseded, but it still shows the general distribution of the type, mainly in the Rhineland, Upper Danube and northern French regions, including find spots in Anglo-Saxon contexts such as Howletts, Kent. Similar to PAS 2002, 35 Boxford, Berkshire: white metal radiate-headed brooch fragment (2001 T1) (fig.35). Published: Hammond, Brett. British Artefacts, volume I - Early Anglo-Saxon. Extremely fine condition. Ex a European collection via the estate of an old English collector. This item is accompanied by an XRF ancient metal test certificate from Oxford X-ray Fluorescence Ltd.