Description

Summary: 1 long bronze ring-headed (hair?) pin with large flattened ring at head, the edges of which have small notched decoration, locality unknown, possibly from the Pentney, Norfolk hoard.

Research results

An unprovenanced Middle Bronze Age Quoit-Headed pin purchased by the Museum from Henry Hoare in 1883 as part of the Stourhead Collection. Quoit-headed pins are often found in association with hoards of objects dated to the 'Ornament Horizon' of the Middle Bronze Age, whilst some single finds and moulds associated with their production can also be securely dated to this period. Large pins such as this were too large to have a practical function, and may have been heavy enough to distort woven fabrics; it is that they were purely decorative and it is possible that the circular head actually served as a frame, potentially for a woven brocage.

The pin was examined by Dr Andrew Lawson (2019) as part of his re-evaluation of the type in relation to new examples found in Norfolk.