Anglo-Saxon Square-Headed Bow Brooches For Sale
Bow brooches are the main alternative form to the discoid types. Derived from Roman fibulæ, bow brooches are characterized by the arched central section which accommodates the folds of the garment to be pinned, be it shift, kirtle, scarf, cowl, mantle, cape or cloak. From relatively humble beginnings the series of brooches quickly develops into a myriad of forms – some small and modest, others large and impressive. The largest type – the Great Square-Headed Brooch – is among the most sought after items from the Anglo-Saxon period, alongside the keystone garnet disc brooch. The Great Square-Headed Brooch is always long (many are up to 17cm overall) and decorated with many zones of cast decoration, chip-carved and often gilded. The Anglo-Saxons took every opportunity for displaying social information (such as rank, wealth and ethnicity) on the surface of these items.
Customers and site-visitors may have noticed that the Anglo-Saxon site pages have been revised. As part of our ongoing programme of improving the quality and reliability of our site, all of the ‘Saxon’ pages have been amended in the light of further detailed research. We aim to roll this out across the rest of the site in due course. Please check back for updates.
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