Brooches within antiquity were items used as fasteners for cloaks, trousers and other clothing items which needed to be fastened. They were thought to be a fashionable addition to the style of the ancient Roman or Celtic outfit. There are several types of brooches found in relation to Roman, Romano-British and Romano-Celtic cultures: brooches with pin hinges, spring hinges or ring brooches. The bird brooch above is an example of a brooch with a pin hinge. The pin hinge was used to fasten cloaks within the early 1st century AD, they required a lot of pressure to open. Brooches as an accessory became associated with the upper class and the more elaborate the brooch the higher the status of its wearer.
For more information on Roman animal symbolism, please see our blog post: Animal Symbolism in Roman Art
