Bronze Age fibulae The first fibulae design, violin bow fibulae (
drahtbugel in German), appeared in the
late Bronze Age. This simple design, with a unilateral spring, looks remarkably like a modern
safety pin. The violin bow fibula has a low flat arch; the body runs parallel to the pin so it resembles a
violin bow. The bow could be round, square, or flat and ribbon-like in cross-section. Some had simple punched or incised decoration on the bow. Violin bow fibula, such as the Peschiera type and the Unter-Radl type, was introduced in the 14th century BC (Late Mycenean III era) by the
Myceneans on the Greek
Peloponnesus. The fibula soon spread to
Crete,
Cyprus and
Mycenean trading posts in
Sicily. There were several variants of the violin bow fibula. The bow could bend, or
zig-zag from side to side while still remaining flat and parallel to the pin. These variants, such as the Grunwald type and the Hanua type, were found in the 12th and 11th centuries BC. In another variant, the bow, while still flat, widened out into an oval or diamond shape (blattbugel in German). These variants, such as the Kreuznach type and Reisen type, were found in the 12th to 10th centuries BC. The second major design of fibulae has a high,
round arch (
bogen in German) instead of the low flat arch of the violin bow fibula. At first, the bow was thin. In later variants the bow was made of thicker metal or of two pieces of thin
wire twisted together. These rounded bow fibulae were first found in the 12th century BC, but lasted in use in some places for more than five centuries. The third Bronze Age design of fibula consisted of horizontal wire
spirals. The spectacle fibula (brillen in German) consisted of two spirals joined. It resembles a pair of
spectacles or eye
glasses. These fibulae, such as the Haslau type and the St. Lucija type, were found in the 9th to 7th centuries BC. Some spectacle fibula were very large with spirals up to 10 cm across. A variant that appeared in the 6th century BC had four small spirals with a square, or squarish, cover plate on the middle, the Vierpass type. The
Villanovan culture in
Italy introduced a series of variations of the bow fibula in the 8th and 7th centuries BC. In these so-called Italianate fibulae, the bow begins, at the head, with a semi-circular form, but bends at its apex to angle straight down to the foot that was often lengthened and extended. The bow was often decorated with moulded knobs or spikes. The rear half of the bow was sometimes bent into a wavy, kinked shape. The latter variants were known as
serpentine fibulae. Meanwhile, the 8th and 7th centuries BC saw the introduction of the so-called
Phrygian bow fibulae in
Asia Minor. These fibulae had a near-perfect
semi-circular arch sometimes decorated with knobs or round flanges. In the same period, the Hand or Arm fibula spread from
Cyprus, where it appears to have originated, to
Syria,
Assyria and
Persia. In this design the bow was bent 90 degrees at the apex giving the fibula a
triangular shape when viewed from the side. The bow was usually decorated with a series of rings and dots. The catch plate usually had the form of a hand, making the entire fibula resemble an arm. In the 7th and 6th centuries BC, a series of variations of the bow fibula appeared in the southern
Balkans, known variously as Greek,
Macedonian, or
Thracian bow fibulae. The high arched bow of these fibulae had large fins or knobs. The bow usually ended in a very large triangular or square catch plate. Some of the large square catch plates were decorated with complex incised
geometric or figural designs. Some of the fibula had a flat back indicating that they were likely cast in simple, open
moulds. File:Bow fibula, Greek, 12th century BC - photographed Feburary 2025.webp|Greek bow fibula.12th century BC File:Fibulae01.JPG|Early fibulae.10th – 8th centuries BC File:Violin bow fibula .jpg|10th century BC File:Fibulae03.JPG|More early fibulae.7th – 5th centuries BC
Iron Age fibulae The
Iron Age saw an expansion in the use of fibulae. The rounded bow fibula underwent several variations and were usually highly decorated with incised or moulded
geometric designs. In one variation, the foot of the fibula that had previously terminated at the end of the arch with a simple catch plate, lengthened significantly. These extended foot fibulae, such as the Kahn type and the Pauken type, were found in the 7th to 5th centuries BC. The first long, bilateral springs appeared on some of these variants in the
Hallstatt D2 era (5th century BC). These fibulae, such as the Doublezier type, looked similar to the Roman-era
crossbow fibulae but were not the latter's direct precursor. In another variation of the rounded bow fibula, the bow became fat and swollen-looking. In many of these
Leech Bow, or Sanguisuga, fibulae the catch plate became large and triangular. Another variant, the Certosa type, had a small square or ribbon cross-section bow and a short bilateral spring (possibly the first use of a bilateral spring). Certosa fibulae are often very small, but can reach lengths of over 10–15 cm. In the
La Tène I, or La Tène A to B2, era (4th to 3rd centuries BC), fibula design became relatively standardised over a large geographic area, although minor stylistic variations and differences in decoration remained. The La Tène I fibula usually had a narrow bow. The spring that could be either unilateral or bilateral, was wound in a fairly large diameter circle. The foot was turned up and usually ended in a decorated knob or with an applied
bead or stone. In some cases the raised foot was bent back towards the bow, although it did not touch the bow. The Thraco-Getic fibula is a variant found in the eastern
Balkans and used by the
Getae. The fibula's foot is vertical and ends in a small knob, though later models had a sinuous, s-shaped profile. The La Tène I era also saw the introduction of the first animal, or
zoomorphic, designs. These included
birds and
horses and could either be flat, with a short bilateral spring on the back, or
three-dimensional ("in the round") with a long bilateral spring at the head. In the La Tène II, or La Tène C era (2nd century BC), the foot of the fibula actually bent back to touch the bow and was wrapped around it. Many La Tène II fibulae had long bilateral springs. It is important to be aware that this type of construction was in use several centuries later in the tied-foot and returned-foot types of fibulae. These latter types are sometimes known as pseudo-La Tène fibulae. In the La Tène III, or La Tène D era (1st century BC), the raised foot was no longer wrapped around the bow but was attached directly to it by
casting or
welding creating a loop above the foot. In one variant, the Nauheim type, the bow widened into a flat triangle or diamond. In another variant, the Schussel type, the ribbon-like bow widened at the head into a rounded
arrowhead shape that covered the spring.
Roman-era fibulae The 1st century AD File:Fibulae05.JPG|Legionnaire's fibulae. 1st – 2nd centuries AD File:Fibulae06.JPG|Romano-Britannic fibulae.1st century AD File:Fibulae07.JPG|Early Roman era bow fibulae.1st century AD File:Fibulae08.JPG|Kräftig Profilierte fibulae.1st – 2nd centuries AD The rapid spread of the
Roman Empire by the 1st century AD resulted in a tremendous growth in the number and design of fibulae throughout
Europe and the
Near East. The spread of technologically advanced workshops in the Roman Empire led to more complex fibula designs. Bows were cast in more complex forms, hinges appeared alongside bilateral springs and a wide variety of plate designs were introduced. One of the first fibula designs of the Roman-era began in the
La Tène III era, in the late 1st century BC. The Straight Wire fibula, also known as the Soldier's type or
Legionnaire's type, is a very plain design. It resembles the violin bow fibula of over one thousand years earlier except that the bow has slightly more of an arch and the spring in (short) bilateral not unilateral. The Straight Wire fibula is found through the 1st century AD. In the 1st century AD, for the first time, several fibula designs originated in
Roman Britain. Perhaps the most distinctive British fibula design was the Dolphin. This was actually a series of designs including the Polden Hill type, the Langton Down type, the Colchester type and the T-Shaped type. Dolphin fibulae have a smooth arched bow that tapers from the head to end in a long point. The long bilateral spring is covered. From the top the Dolphin fibula looks like a T or the late-Roman
crossbow fibula. From the side it resembles a leaping
dolphin. Another British design was the Hod Hill type. Usually quite small, Hod Hill fibulae have a shallow arched bow that appears to be made up of lumpy segments. Many Hod Hill fibulae have a pair of small side
lugs. The Fantail fibula, which have a short bow that flares into a flat, wide fan-shaped foot, were common in Britain and on the European continent. The Fantail design lasted into the 2nd century AD. A common and widespread design was the Augen (or Eye) fibula, which has a longer bow and a long, flat, wide foot. It has a short bilateral spring. Many Augen fibulae are decorated with a pair of ringed dots, or eyes, on the flat foot. Augen fibulae appear to have been introduced to the
Roman Empire by
Germanic peoples, notably
Marcomanni, serving as
Roman auxiliaries. The Aucissa fibula was another widespread design. It has a high semi-circular arched bow that extended into a short foot. The bow is flat and wide and has a rounded central ridge. The bow ends, at the head, in a hinge. The Aucissa was one of the first fibulae to use a hinge instead of a spring. The foot ends in a rounded knob. Many Aucissa fibulae have the word "AVCISSA" moulded above the hinge. This is thought to be the name of a
workshop. The 1st century AD saw several other bow variations. The Wolf or Wolf's Head fibula has a flat, ribbon-like bow that widens into a square section at the head. The common design of two circles and a
chevron near the rear of the bow is often interpreted as a
wolf's head. The
Thracian Anchor type has a wide
crescent at the head giving the fibula an
anchor shape. The Thracian Anchor type is also called the Illyrian and is found in
Pannonia (
Hungary),
Dacia (
Romania) and
Serbia. The late 1st century AD saw the introduction of the Kräftig Profilierte group of fibula designs. Kräftig Profilierte fibulae have a wide fan-, or
bell-shaped head and a long thin pointy foot. They have long bilateral hinges. There are three main variations of the Kräftig Profilierte fibula. The North Pannonian Double Knot type, found in
Pannonia has two knobs, or knots, on the bow. The Single Knot type, found in the central
Balkans, has a single knob. The Black Sea type, found in the
steppes north of the
Black Sea, has a thin body, with no flaring near the head, and two knots. Kräftig Profilierte fibulae were found in the late 1st to late 2nd centuries AD and are mostly associated with the
Przeworsk proto-
Gothic culture. The 1st century AD saw the widespread use of plate fibulae. Plate fibulae consist of a flat plate. Since there is little space between the fibula body and the pin (there is no arch to the body), plate fibulae could not be used to fasten much material and were therefore mainly
decorative. Most plate fibulae have a hinge assembly on the back. Plate fibulae are generally associated with women's
graves. The most common forms of plate fibula in the 1st century AD were round (disc), diamond, oval and lunula (
crescent- or moon-shaped).
The 2nd century AD File:Fibulae10.JPG|Roman era fibulae.2nd century AD File:Fibulae14.JPG|Late Roman bow fibulae.2nd – 3rd centuries AD File:Fibulae11.JPG|Diverse fibulae.4th century BC – 3rd century AD File:Fibulae12.JPG|Tutulus plate fibulae.2nd – 3rd centuries AD In
Roman Britain the fibula designs common in the 1st century AD continued to some extent into the second, although usually in more complex variations. A new design, the Head Stud type, has a long bow with a
stud, or occasionally a ring, at the head. The Knee fibula, a common design in the 2nd century AD, originated in Roman
Pannonia (modern
Hungary). With its short, fat bow that incorporates a 90 degree bend,
archeologists thought it resembled a
knee and leg. Many Knee fibulae have small rectangular, or larger semi-circular head plates. Knee fibulae appear, like the Augen type, to have been introduced into the
Roman Empire by
Germanic allies. Despite their small size, their appearance in
Roman military graves implies that the Knee fibula was the most popular fibula among Roman soldiers in the 2nd century AD. They are rarely found outside military sites or contexts. The Pannonian Trumpet fibula has a wide flaring head like the bell of a
trumpet. However, unlike a straight trumpet, the Pannonian Trumpet fibula is sharply bent near the head. This
Germanic design was found in and around
Pannonia but was exported as widely as
Britain. The P-Shaped type is another common 2nd-century AD fibula design that originated among the
Germanic peoples. The P-Shaped fibula, or Almgren Type 162, has a semi-circular arch and a long foot that curves back under itself to return to the base of the arch. They have bilateral springs. The bows of P-Shaped fibulae are usually semi-circular in cross-section and are decorated with ribs. P-Shaped fibulae were found from the 2nd to the early 4th centuries. There were other bow fibula variations of the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD. The Divided Bow type has an arched bow and a long foot. The arch was made up of two, or even three, separate, but parallel, arches. These arches are either wide and flat or narrow and tall. The Trident fibula has a rounded arch and long foot and a wide, flat head plate with three points. The entire fibula looks like a
trident. Claims that this was the standard fibula of the
Roman navy are unfounded. The use of plate fibulae continued in the 2nd century CE. Simple flat shapes were replaced with
enamelled versions or more complex shapes. These included animal (
zoomorphic) shapes (
birds,
horses,
rabbits, flies, etc.), letters or words, abstract
symmetrical or
asymmetrical designs (including the so-called
Celtic Trumpet designs), and
skeuomorphic designs (
symbolic designs). Most designs continued in use throughout the 2nd and 3rd centuries. In one later variation during this time, the Tutulus type, the circular disc plate was extended upwards to form a
cone.
The 3rd to 4th centuries AD The use of
enamelled
inlay continued until the end of the 3rd century AD. A variation of the P-shaped fibula, the tied foot fibula has a foot that returns to the bow but then wraps, or ties, around the bow. Many Tied Foot fibulae have long bilateral springs. The tied foot fibula was found in the 3rd and 4th centuries AD and is associated with the
Wielbark Gothic culture. The classic fibula of the late-Roman era, and in fact the best known of all fibula types, is the
crossbow type. There are also a wide variety of
Anglo-Saxon fibulae from the 5th to 7th century such as the equal-arm type and the small-long type. Most
Viking fibulae are variations on the ring or annular design (see below).
Ring fibulae and penannular brooches , the most ornate of the Irish brooches, also decorated on the back. The ring, or annular, fibula or brooch is extremely hard to date as the design for utilitarian pieces was almost unchanged from the 2nd to the 14th centuries AD. If there is decoration, this is likely to indicate whether a given ring fibula is Roman-era fibula or a medieval brooch. The
penannular brooch, with an incomplete ring and two terminals, originally a common utilitarian clothes fastening, normally of
base metal, in Iron Age and
Roman Britain developed in the post-Roman period into highly elaborate and decorative marks of status in Ireland and Scotland, made in precious metals and often decorated with gems, and worn by men and women, as well as the clergy as part of their
vestments when conducting services. The finest period is from the 8th and 9th centuries, before the Vikings disrupted the societies. Ornate Irish examples in the period are usually "pseudo-penannular"; in fact closed rings, but imitating the penannular form. Examples like the
Tara Brooch are among the most spectacular pieces of jewellery of the early medieval period. When the Vikings began to raid and settle the British Isles, they took to wearing these brooches, but now in plain silver. The thistle and bossed types were the most popular styles, both developing out of earlier Celtic styles. The post-Roman types are not called "fibulae" in English, though they are in other languages.
Medieval brooches , Copenhagen There is a huge variety of
medieval brooch types (the term fibula is rarely used for medieval items). The two most common are ring brooches, including square and lobed or flower designs as well as round ones, and flat plate brooches, or
badges, in the form of people or animals, with specialized types such as
pilgrim badges or
livery badges, which were often produced in large quantities in cheap metals such as lead, but also in very expensive forms such as the
Dunstable Swan Jewel. However these are mostly purely decorative, or worn to denote something about the wearer, and were probably not much used for fastening. ==See also==