Romano-Celtic Anchor Fibula

£ 140.00

A Romano-Celtic bronze anchor fibula, consisting of an onion knob finial with incised detailing around its border, a shallow catch plate, a bow that widens to the head and terminates in a decorated rectangular horizontal bar, with an intact pin. The bow-head is curved with short wings that angle backwards with rounded finials. The midpoint of the bow is decorated by a thick band surrounded by smaller incised bands, below which is a rectangular horizontal bar with central granule.

Date: Circa 1st-3rd Century AD
Condition: Very fine, intact, with traces of corrosion and dark patination over the whole. A small section at the edge of the catchplate is missing and there is one crack to the bottom of the catchplate.

SOLD

Product Code: RES-14
Categories: , Tag:

Fibulae or brooches were originally used in Ancient Greece and in the Roman Empire for fastening garments, such as cloaks or togae. The fibula designs developed into a variety of shapes, but all were based on the safety-pin principle. The Roman’s conquests spread Roman culture and therefore the use of the fibula, which became the basis for more complicated and highly decorated brooches, modelled in bronze, silver and gold and further enriched with precious and semi-precious gemstones. Fibulae are the most common artefact-type in burials and settlements throughout much of the continental Europe. By the Middle Ages, the Roman safety pin type of fibula had fallen into disuse.

To learn more about the different types of fibulae, visit our relevant blog post: Roman and Celtic Fibulae.

Dimensions L 4.8 x H 2.5 cm
Region

Central Europe

Metal

Bronze

Reference: For a similar item, The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, accession number 1984.588.