Dating back to the 9^th century, the Fuller Brooch is crafted from hammered sheet silver with black niello. Niello is a mixture of sulphur, copper, silver, and lead, which is used to detail graphics on relics and artifacts. A brooch is an accessory item that contained a clasp with a pin, and was used to hold clothing and garments in place. Brooches could often be made from many different metals. Townspeople would typically have bronze brooches, while brooches for royalty or military officials were cast from silver or gold. 

This artifact is considered to be a very important discovery of Anglo-Saxon history.

In the center of the Fuller Brooch, five figures represent the five senses. The sense of sight is depicted with oval eyes in the middle of the Brooch, and the other four senses border around sight. The figure representing taste depicts a hand in its mouth. The figure of smell stands between two plants while holding hands behind its back. The sense of touch is shown rubbing its hands together, and the sense of hearing holds hands over its ears. According to the British Museum, this artifact is thought to be the earliest representation of the five senses ever found. In addition to the depiction of the five senses, the border of the Fuller Brooch has 16 medallions of humans and animals.

            The Fuller Brooch was donated to the British Museum by Capt. Fuller in 1952. The Fuller Brooch still resides at the British Museum, and is displayed in Room 41.

Khan Academy Online. The Fuller Brooch.  https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/medieval-world/early-medieval/a/the-fuller-brooch. Accessed 12 September 2019.

   Ramirez, Janina. British Broadcasting Network. "Treasures of the Anglo-Saxons, Decoding the Fuller Brooch." Accessed 12 September 2019.