European Bronze Age Bronze Pin

£450.00

A European Bronze Age impressively large bronze pin. The pin is composed of a small, solid bronze biconical head surmounting a needle-thin body that tapers to a point. The upper shank is slightly thickened and then narrows towards the head. Three sets of incised horizontal spirals decorate the shank. An impressively long example.

Date: Circa 1800-1200 BC
Period: European Bronze Age
Condition: Very fine, intact, with green patina and a slightly pitted surface.

SOLD

SKU: CY-145 Category: Tag:

Burial customs and grave goods were of great importance across Bronze Age Europe. It is in graves that many of the most impressive and interesting Bronze Age items have been found, as the Bronze Age saw a rise in individual graves which they filled with precious items. Dress pins are a frequently found item amongst the grave good repertoire. Pins such as this were made to be functional and ceremonial. Smaller pins obviously catered to a functional need, used to close and hold in place excess material. Larger pins, such as this, were more ceremonial in their use. The purpose of this outstanding item is difficult to ascertain since there are no comparable pieces of such enormous size. Smaller pins of this type were used for fastening clothes, as cloak pins, although this pin might have served as some sort of a meat skewer or fire poker.

Weight 76.3 g
Dimensions L 51.8 cm
Culture

Metal

Region

Reference: For a similar item, Baden State Museum, Karlsruhe, Germany, item number C 4586

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