CHAPTER XVII.
PINS.
Pins for the purpose of fastening the dress or the hair seem to have been in use from very early times. Made of bone,[1402] they have been found associated with polished stone implements, and pins of the same material are of extremely common occurrence with Roman remains, and are not unknown at the present day. In the same manner, pins of bronze or of brass have remained in use ever since their first introduction during the Bronze Period, and it is, therefore, by no means easy, and, indeed, often absolutely impossible, to assign a date with any degree of confidence to such objects when found by themselves, and not in association with other remains of which the antiquity can be more readily determined. In the case of small or imperfect pins there is considerable difficulty in distinguishing them from awls, such as have already been described in Chapter VII. In other cases, it is often difficult to say whether bronze pins, certainly of great antiquity, are to be assigned to the Bronze Period properly so called, or the Late Celtic or Early Iron Period.
Fig. 447.
Heathery
Burn. ½
In describing the objects of this class, it will, perhaps, be best to take first such examples as have been found in the exploration of tumuli or in direct association with bronze weapons or instruments.
Among the numerous relics found in the Heathery Burn Cave, Durham, were a large number of bronze pins, of which one,[1403] 3⅛ inches long, is shown in Fig. 447. Canon Greenwell has eleven others from 3 inches to 5⅝ inches long, with flat heads, all from this cave, as well as one which has had its end hammered flat, and then turned over into a loop, so as to form the head. A socketed knife and many other objects from this cave have been described in previous pages.
Four imperfect bronze pins, without heads, the longest 3⅞ inches long, were found in the hoard at Marden,[1404] Kent, with a sickle, dagger, and other objects.