The brooch fragment
This object, part of a circular brooch, was found by archaeologists investigating the `old' castle at Caerlaverock in 1998. Archaeologists do not find many complete artefacts. Most, like this one, are fragments, but they can provide a great deal of information about the lives of people in medieval times.
The brooch fragment is only 26mm long. It is shown at a large scale here so that you can see the details. It is green in colour and was made from copper alloy. Like the swivel ring, it was made by casting the alloy in a stone or clay mould.
It is part of a circular brooch (also sometimes called an annular brooch), and has four raised settings which held glass paste. The glass paste was intended to look like gem stones. Before it was broken, the brooch probably had eight settings like these, and had a pin which was used to attach it to clothing. The drawing above (left) shows what the original brooch may have looked like.
Brooches were worn by both women and men in medieval times. decorated brooches, like this one, would have been quite valuable, and were expressions of fashion and individual taste. the style of this brooch tells archaeologists that it dates from the 13th or 14th century.
They were worn at the throat or chest, to hold two parts of a garment like a tunic or cloak together. The drawing above (right) shows a brooch used to fasten a woman's cloak.
Brooches are still worn today, mainly by women. Just as in medieval times, they are used to express fashion and tell us something about the owner's personal tastes.
This brooch fragment is very delicate so it had to be cleaned carefully after it was found, and stored in safe, dry conditions.
Around 750 years had passed from the day this brooch was made until the day it was discovered by archaeologists. To read the story of the brooch's life, click here.
What do you think should happen to this object in the future?