Copper-alloy and silver, 35.27/32.43 grams, 113.92/112.33 mm. 3rd-5th century AD. A fine matched pair of radiate-headed bow brooches. The D-shaped headplate is surrounded by four lateral bird-head extensions and a median discoid lobe with human mask detailing in the form of roundels and rectlinear incisions. The inlaid silver plate is decorated with repoussé crescentic motifs and a border of pellets; the surround is likewise decoarted with incised lines and crescents. The shallow bow is decorated with a border of punched roundels and extends to the sub-triangular footplate. The outer panel bears crescent punched decoration and incised borders. Below the junction with the bow, a pair of lateral bird-head lobes, similar to those on the headplate, are placed with the beak facing downwards, and below these is a symmmetrically placed pair facing upwards. The finial is a discoid lobe decorated with an incised pall surrounded by crescents and roundels. The inserted silver panel, which forms the major decorative surface of the footplate, features a border of pellets and crescent. In the upper zone on each an attempt at lettering is visible: in one case, ZO (or NO) and in the other MZO (or SZO, see below). The Tervingi or Ostrogoths around the Black Sea were in close contact with the Greeks at this time, and became Arian Christians on the Greek model; they therefore were familiar with writing although their own alphabet was not devised until Bishop Wulfila (311-383) created it based on Greek, Roman and runic exemplars. Familiarity with Greek and Roman script, Wulfila's newly created Gothic script and with runes must be assumed. The present texts cannot be interpreted as either runic or Gothic script due to the presence of the 'O' character which is absent from both; if Greek, then the 'M' may in fact be sigma and 'N' nu. It may not be accidental that the sequence 'MNO' is alphabetical in Roman and Greek, although the possibility cannot be excluded that the 'letters' were chosen simply because they harmonize with the decorative scheme of the brooch with its roundels and rectilinear incisions, and this is supported by the addition of another 'O' or repoussé roundel on the brooch with the longer inscription. These two brooches are of the highest importantance for the evidence they present of Gothic literacy. Reference: Menghin, W. The Merovingian Period - Europe Without Borders, Berlin, 2007 p.550 item VIII.6.3. Good very fine condition.