Found a broken Roman brooch at a dig site in Chester last April

I was working a shallow trench near the old city wall when my trowel hit something harder than dirt. Pulled out what looked like a mangled piece of bronze, but the catch mechanism was still intact. Turns out it was a 2nd century fibula that someone snapped in half while trying to pry it open. Has anyone else dealt with a busted artifact where the break point actually told you more about how it was used?

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umamurphy2h ago

oh man, i've been there. the break on mine was a clean snap right at the hinge point, which told me the owner was trying to force it open while it was still pinned to their cloak. you can actually see the stress marks on the bronze where they kept bending it back and forth before it gave way. those little details are honestly better than a pristine find sometimes, cause you get a real peek into how someone actually lived with the thing. just make sure you document the break angle and any metal fatigue lines, cause that tells a whole story about the force used.