Fibula

The origin of the modern-day brooch can be traced back to Celtic, Greek and Roman Fibulae. The Fibula is an ornamental pin with a clasp to attach it to cloth or garments. Usually made of metal, it is possible that these decorative ’safety pins’ were also crafted in organic material as far back as the Neolithic, but have left few traces in the archaeological record. Some fine examples are on display in the Etruscan collections in the world’s major museum collections. Their archaeological distribution can be traced parallel to migratory tribes in Europe from the Early Bronze age. Many sources claim that the Celtic fibula was appropriated and elaborated by the Romans.  Made of bronze and sometimes precious metals, they were often elaborately designed to indicate ethnicity and rank. In the nineteenth century the brooch became a popular form of personal decoration.