An ancient Roman brooch made of bronze, with a pronounced loop near the top. The brooch features a subtle trumpet-shaped head which tapers in towards the narrow foot with a circular terminal. The original pin extends from a horizontal cross-rib and sits in the unadorned catch plate, now fixed in place. A large loop is attached to the front of the brooch, at the base of the trumpet head. There are signs of wear such as patination and earthly encrustations throughout. Fibulae or brooches were originally used in Ancient Greece and in the Roman Empire for fastening garments, such as cloaks or togae. The fibula designs developed into a variety of shapes, but all were based on the safety-pin principle. The Roman’s conquests spread Roman culture and therefore the use of the fibula, which became the basis for more complex and highly decorated brooches, modelled in bronze, silver and gold and further enriched with precious and semi-precious gemstones. Fibulae are the most common artefact-type in burials and settlements throughout much of the continental Europe. By the Middle Ages, the Roman safety pin type of fibula had fallen into disuse. Measurements: L 5.6cm x W 2.5cm Provenance: From an important European private collection, 1980s-2000s.