Diadem
Jewelry
Bronze
Cavenham Heath, Suffolk England
2,3, or 4th c. AD
Ipswich Museum
5? inches height
The diadem consists of one
sheet of bronze with a large wide front and two long thin rectangular sides
that fit together in a separate bronze stripe. This stripe allows the
circular shape to fit around the head of any wearer. The top and bottom
edges of the long rectangular stripes have white lines that continue around
the stripes and the edges of the three semicircles that make the top of the
diadem’s front. These scrapes indicate that at one time these areas were
covered in a precious medal or were possibly bejeweled (Toynbee, p.177).
Under the semicircles there are more scrapes forming circles on the left and
right sides and forming a hollow circle in the middle. This indicates
that these places were at one time covered with large jewels. On the bottom
of the front one can tell that something has "been torn off leaving scars,
some of which show traces of figure work where they been soldered to the bronze"
(Toynbee, p.178).