Italic Metalwork: Bronze arc fibula (large)
Inv. No.: 95.086a
Provenance: Italy (Italic)
Date: late 9th/8th century BC
Height: 99mm
Length: 163mm
A very large fibula with a thick bow in the form of a semi-circular arch decorated with incised lines, a spring in the form of a large single coil and a slightly curved, tapering pin. At the foot end, the bow joins the middle of one side of the long (47 mm) catch plate, which is formed from a flattened piece of metal that has been curled up to create a deep gutter. Most of the free side of the catch plate is missing, but one large piece has been re-attached. The free edge is very irregular and jagged in outline. Most of the surface of the piece is covered with a crusty and bright green patina.
Function:
A type of safety pin, used to fasten clothing, probably a cloak in the case of this very large example.
Manufacture:
Probably forged from a single length of bronze wire and decorated using incision.
Decoration:
- The bow is decorated with bands each consisting of four-six (usually five) transverse incised parallel lines grouped together.
- The coil is quadrangular in cross section while the bow and pin are round.
Bibliography:
Hattatt, R., Ancient and Romano-British Brooches, Sherborne, Dorset Publishing Company, 1982, 26-28 ("Fabrication"), 186-194 (Pre-Roman Italian brooches).
Hull, M. R., and C. F. C. Hawkes, Corpus of Ancient Brooches in Britain: Pre-Roman Bow Brooches, Oxford, British Archaeological Reports, British Series 168, 1987, 4-6, 14-15.
Comparanda:
Bietti Sestieri, A. M., "Italian swords and fibulae of the late Bronze and early Iron Ages", Italian Iron Age Artefacts in the British Museum: Papers of the Sixth British Museum Classical Colloquium, ed. J. Swaddling, London, British Museum, 1986, No. 21 (similar shape although double coil; probably Campanian, late 9th/8th century BC).
Hull, M. R., and C. F. C. Hawkes, Corpus of Ancient Brooches in Britain: Pre-Roman Bow Brooches, Oxford, British Archaeological Reports, British Series 168, 1987, Pl. 2, "Colchester" 7327 (similar shape but small catch plate; probably Italian, 10th century BC).
Myres, J. L., Who Were the Greeks?, Berkeley, California, University of California Press, 1930, Fig. 14, Type 6 (Blinkenberg Type II.1.a) (similar Greek shape with straight pin and short catch plate).
Pincelli, R. and C. M. Govi, La Necropoli Villanoviana di San Vitale, Bologna, Istituto per la Storia di Bologna, 1975, Vol. I, Fig. 70, 14 ("Tipologia delle fibule .. ad arco semplice") and Vol. II, 14 (Tomba 777) (comparable size and decoration but short catch plate).