Mould, brooch mould

The mould is made from a small piece of red deer antler. It was found during an archaeological dig near the Royal Opera House. The design engraved in its surface shows a bird with splayed claws and tail feathers within a ring-and-dot border. The mould was used for making small round brooches of metal. Since antler cannot withstand the high temperature of molten copper-alloy, it is likely that it was used for making brooches of lead or pewter, which melt at lower temperatures. It is the first example of an antler mould for the production of brooches from Saxon London (Lundenwic) and is thought to date from the 700s.