Casgliadau Arlein

It is in a very poor state of preservation. The hook is held now by a single rivet which pierces a curvilinear cross shaped portion of the hook plate at the summit of the curve of the bow at the head. There is a very large spring, protected originally by curved side wings with beaded and incised line ornament, which probably terminated in discs pierced to support the heavy axial bar; a replacement pin uses the axial bar as its pivot and the original spring coils as packing to keep it in place. Faint traces of beading remain on the bow, and line ornament on the head of the bow emphasizes the curvilinear cross shape of the riveted portion of the hook plate. Typologically, Applied Hook brooches should belong to the third quarter of the first century AD since the spring arrangement must owe its origin to the rear hook of the True Dolphin type and has close affinities with the Polden Hill type. It should perhaps be seen in its sprung version as an experimental form, costly and time consuming to make, which was soon superseded by the simplified but equally showy hinged form. Unfortunately the Usk example, which may anyway have had an unusually long life in view of its replacement pin, is of little help in the determining the date of the type.