The Fibulae of Europe - Volume 1 -聽From the Bronze Age to the Hallstatt Period

564 pages
Format: Paperback
Published: 10.01.2022
2,373 illustrations

The fibula, originally made from a bent needle, not only held items of clothing together, but was also a status symbol for its wearer from the very beginning. A wide variety of forms developed from this, depending on culture, region and taste. Not only did European fibulae develop as important clothing accessories in the epochs from the beginning of their emergence in the Bronze Age to their end in the Middle Ages, but they also differed greatly from region to region and were highly ornate.

Fibulae are not only regarded as the most important identifying feature in an archaeological excavation alongside coins, but are also becoming increasingly popular internationally as coveted collector's items.

This first volume provides a comprehensive insight into the origin and development of brooches from the simple form of the Late Bronze Age to the most elegant pieces of jewellery of the Hallstatt period. Contributions and articles by around 100 international researchers, historians and museum directors, including Rudolf Virchow, Oscar Montelius and Ludwig Lindenschmit, from the 19th and 20th centuries have been compiled in this work over many years. More than 2300 illustrations show the diversity of European bronze casters and jewellery makers of the pre-Christian centuries.

Beginning with the Italian fibulae of the Bronze and Iron Ages, Swedish, Hungarian and fibulae from German-speaking countries are also presented. The magnificent brooches from Greece and the Balkans form the conclusion. Ancient as well as current terms and fibula designations and the corresponding year information complete this unique reference work.

Table of contents

Preface7
The Italic fibulae of the Bronze Age III8
1 Peschiera brooches with spiral disc 9
2. peschiera brooches with pin holder 10
3. later Peschiera brooches 13
4. peschiera brooches with broad oval body 14
Bow brooches 17
Development of the various brooch shapes 18
The Italian brooches of the IV. Bronze Age20
Type 1: Fibulae with spiral disc and simple bow 20
Fibulae with rare bow shape 22
Type 2: Fibulae with spiral disc and serpeggianti 23
Type 3: Fibulae with needle holder and single bow 28
Type 4: Fibulae with needle holder and serpeggianti 34
The Italic fibulae of the Fifth Bronze Age36
Type 1: Fibulae with spiral disc and single-sided pin 36
Large, smooth needle holder plate or with traces of attachments 38
Type 2: Fibulae with spiral disc and serpeggianti 40
Type 3: Fibulae with single bow and needle on one side 46
Type 4: Fibulae with needle holder and serpeggianti 48
The Italic fibulae of the Iron Age I50
Type 1: Fibulae with spiral disc and single bow 53
Type 2: Fibulae with spiral disc and serpeggianti 57
Type 3: Fibulae with pin holder and single bow 60
Type 4: Fibulae with needle holder and serpeggianti 71
The Italic fibulae of the Iron Age II74
Type 3: Fibulae with pin holder and simple bow 75
Bow fibulae (made of bronze) from Rome and Lazio 78
Special form: Animal fibulae 106
Type 2 and Type 4: Serpeggianti brooches with pin holder and disc 108
The Italic fibulae of the Iron Age III116
Type 4: Fibulae with pin holder and serpeggianti 142
Spiral and disc fibulae 154
The Italic fibulae of the IV. Iron Age158
Certosa brooches 172
Crossbow certo brooches 174
Type 4: Fibulae with pin holder and serpeggianti 176
The Swedish fibulae of the Bronze Age180
Plate fibulae 185
Plate fibulae with band figures and concentric circles 190
The Hungarian fibulae of the Bronze Age198
The northern, central and eastern European fibulae211
Group 1: Nordic-North German bronze fibulae 211
Nordic primitive brooch 211
Spiral-plate brooches with a cross-pin head 213
Spiral plate brooches with cross-bar pinhead 215
Special spiral plate brooches 220
Further spiral plate brooches 223
Fibulae with hanging plates (Hanoverian brooch) 232
Unusual pin from West Prussia 236
Spiral plate brooch with widened bow 237
Nordic bow brooches 240
Flat plate brooches 242
Curved plate brooches 243
Fibulae with wavy bow 248
Group 2. South German-Austrian brooches 248
Single-link wire brooches 248
The Peschiera brooches rest of Europe 249
Harp brooches 252
Spectacle brooches 253
Quatrefoil brooches 258
Disc brooches 260
Bow brooches 261
Bow brooch variants. Group I. With short pin holder 264
Bow fibula variants. Group II. With long needle holder 268
Two- and three-button brooches 281
Certosa brooches 282
Oldest crossbow fibulae (T-fibulae) 286
Crossbow brooches with animal and human heads 290
Foot fibulae 293
Knee fibulae 295
Timpani, bowl and button brooches 296
Snake brooches with pin holder 301
Drago brooches (crescent brooches) 309
Special form: crescent brooches 311
Fibulae with chain hangings from the Hallstatt burial ground 315
Fibulae and rattle jewellery 320
How fibulae were attached to items of clothing 321
Bowl agraffes from the Hallstatt burial ground 322
Special form: animal brooches 323
Animal brooches from the Hallstatt burial ground 324
Lower Elbian special form 325
Hook brooches from the Hallstatt period 329
The bow brooches from Koban, Caucasus331
The Greek fibulae344
Fibulae of the metric style 347
Various Greek fibulae 349
Fibulae from the sanctuary of Aphaia (island of Aegina) 350
Greek swastika fibulae 358
Description of the Greek fibulae from the Boeotian tombs 359
Fibulae from the sanctuary of Heraion at Argos, Peloponnese 374
Fibulae from Gordion in Phrygia (present-day Turkey) 396
Fibulae from Troy (Hisarlık), present-day Turkey 403
Fibulae from Olympia, Greece 404
Greek fibulae from present-day Turkey (Asia Minor) 417
Ancient Oriental fibulae 418
The fibulae of Cyprus (Ohnefalsch-Richter) 420
Fibulae from Cyprus (Murray) 424
Fibulae from Thera 426
Fibulae from Delphi 430
The fibulae of Odysseus, Helikes and Kalykes 434
Fibulae from Slovenia (Watsch and St. Margarethen)448
Various knotted fibulae 452
Single and double-loop bow fibulae 453
Slovenian barge brooches 454
Bow brooches of various types 455
Certosa brooches 457
Crossbow certo brooches 459
Eastern Alpine animal head brooches 460
Serpent and drago brooches 461
Spiral brooches 463
Fibulae from Bosnia and Herzegovina464
Fibula types from the Glasinac local industry 464
Fibulae from the pile dwelling in the Sava bed near D. Dolina 477
Bow fibulae from Gorica 479
Bow fibulae from Bosnia and Herzegovina 481
Fibulae from the Rakitno plateau, Herzegovina 483
Bow fibulae with attached pin (special form) 490
Greek hinged bow fibulae on the Balkan Peninsula 492
Certosa brooches 496
Certosa brooches from the necropolis of Jezerine in Pritoka 498
Further Certosa brooches from the Late Hallstatt period 499
Crossbow certo brooches 502
Two-scroll crossbow certo brooches 504
Double-spiral brooches with amber bead decoration 505
Special bow moulds 510
Late Hallstatt Italic brooch moulds 511
Serpentine form 514
Two- and three-button brooches 516
Spiral brooches 517
Technique of ancient bronzes520
Mending of prehistoric fibulae540
Description of the cleaning of bronzes in the 19th century547
Author and image source index548
UsedPrimer designations557
Chronology according to Ocar Montelius561

Scope of delivery

• The Fibulae of Europe - Volume 1 - From the Bronze Age to the Hallstatt Period
• 564 pages
• Format: Paperback
• 2,373 illustrations