Difference between revisions of "Pins"

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This article's completion rating is 2 out of 5. Article structure and content is subject to change as data is still being collected.

This article's completion rating is 2 out of 5. Article structure and content is subject to change as data is still being collected.

Introduction

Pins were probably the most common form of cloak fastening in the Viking Age ^{[GRAHAM-CAMPBELL 1980]:p.30}
Pins classed as dress pins could have been used for a number of purposes including fastening cloaks, securing hair styles or as stylus. [MacGREGOR, MAINMAN & ROGERS 1999: p.1949].
^{[OWEN-CROCKER 2004]}
Morris ^{[MORRIS 2000]:p.2309} makes the point that wooden pins would not have had the strength of pins made from other materials but would have been quicker and easier to make.
Hinton points out that there are 'practically' no small dress items made of precious metals after the C10th ^{[HINTON 2005]:p.166}.

Materials

Iron

More than found in the archaeological record

Copper Alloy

--

Bone

--

Silver

--

Gilded

--

Shanks

Introduction

Many pins have been excavated with a bend in the shank. Halpin has put forth the theory that this may be a deliberate feature and may has assisted the pin in keeping two pieces of cloth together.

Round

--

Round with a Swelling

--

Round with a Square Section

--

Square

--

Heads

The typology styles 1 to 6 are based on that by Nicola Rogers in ^{[EVANS & LOVELUCK 2009]:p.33}. Styles 7 to 11 have been added by the author.

1: Globular (Spherical)

Archaeology

• England York
  • 6 of iron. 2 with pellets attached to the globular heads ^{[OTTAWAY 1992]:p.693-695}
  • 14 of bone [MacGREGOR, MAINMAN & ROGERS 1999: p.1948-1949]
• England Flixborough
  • 78 of copper alloy ^{[EVANS & LOVELUCK 2009]:p.33}
  • 10 of silver ^{[EVANS & LOVELUCK 2009]:p.70-72}
  • 33 of iron. 12 with lead heads, 2 with glass heads, 19 with iron heads ^{[EVANS & LOVELUCK 2009]:p.74-77}
• Scotland Ballinaby, Islay. silver ball headed pin in a woman's grave. ^{[HINTON 2005]:p.124}

Discussion
Originate in the early Anglo-Saxon period ^{[OTTAWAY 1992]:p.693}. A long lived type – impossible to separate roman from post roman on typology [MacGREGOR, MAINMAN & ROGERS 1999: p.1950]. The Flixborough examples date from AD 650-1000.

2: Polyhedral

Archaeology

• England York
  • 2 of iron ^{[OTTAWAY 1992]:p.693}
  • 1 of wood ^{[MORRIS 2000]:p.2309}
• England Flixbourgh
  • 66 of copper alloy ^{[EVANS & LOVELUCK 2009]:p.33}
  • 1 of silver ^{[EVANS & LOVELUCK 2009]:p.70-72}
  • 17 of iron ^{[EVANS & LOVELUCK 2009]:p.74-75}
• Ireland, Lagore Crannog, 1 of wood
• Iceland, Hafurbjarnarstađir. 15cm long silver pin. [HAYEUR SMITH 2003:p.143-175 cst.13667]

Discussion
Originate in the middle Anglo-Saxon period ^{[OTTAWAY 1992]:p.693}

3: Biconical

Archaeology

• England Flixbourgh
  • 79 of copper alloy ^{[EVANS & LOVELUCK 2009]:p.33}
  • 20 of iron ^{[EVANS & LOVELUCK 2009]:p.76-77}

Discussion
--

4: Spiral

Archaeology

• England Flixbourgh
  • 14 of copper alloy ^{[EVANS & LOVELUCK 2009]:p.33}

Discussion
--

5: Headless

Archaeology

• England York
  • York, 2 finds of iron ^{[OTTAWAY 1992]:p.695, Cat.3807,3810}
• England Flixbourgh
  • 67 of copper alloy ^{[EVANS & LOVELUCK 2009]:p.33}

Discussion
--

6: Flat oval, trapezoid or disk shaped headed

Oval, trapezoid or disk shaped
Archaeology

• England York
  • 2 finds of iron with spirally twisted shanks ^{[OTTAWAY 1992]:p.696, cat.3804,3809}
  • 1 find of bone, disk shaped, late C10th.
• England Flixbourgh
  • 18 of copper alloy Types 6 & 7 ^{[EVANS & LOVELUCK 2009]:p.33}
  • 1 of silver - disc shaped ^{[EVANS & LOVELUCK 2009]:p.70-72}

Discussion
--

7: Flat perforated head

Pins that have perforated heads much in the same manner as a needle but have heads that are deemed to be too large to pass through cloth.
Archaeology

• England York
  • 2 finds of iron ^{[OTTAWAY 1992]:p.695 Cat.3808,3812}
  • 13 of bone, 2 of antler [MacGREGOR, MAINMAN & ROGERS 1999: p.1951]

Discussion
--

8: Pig fibulae

...... including pins that have perforated heads much in the same manner as a needle but have heads that are deemed to be too large to pass through cloth.
Archaeology

• England York
  • 10 finds of unperforated pig fibulae [MacGREGOR, MAINMAN & ROGERS 1999: p.1950]
  • 61 finds of perforated pig fibulae [MacGREGOR, MAINMAN & ROGERS 1999:p.1950]

Discussion
Many more needle could be included from York if bone needles with smaller heads were to be included.

9: Zoomorphic

Archaeology

• England, York, 5 finds, 1 of bone, 4 of unknown. [MacGREGOR, MAINMAN & ROGERS 1999: p.1949]
• Scotland, Jarlshof. 4 completed bone pins with dragon head aligned to the shaft with open mouths and two part made pins. [MacGREGOR 1985:p.119][MacGREGOR, MAINMAN & ROGERS 1999: p.1949][HAYEUR SMITH 2003:p.173].
• Iceland, Ymaberg. Bone, dragon head with open mouth, 16.3cm long [HAYEUR SMITH 2003:p.173 cat.11296].
• Denmark, Hedeby.
• Frisian
• Scandinavia, 6 finds
• Flixbourgh, 4 of silver ^{[EVANS & LOVELUCK 2009]:p.70-72}

Discussion
Dated to the 9th or 10th century but may have continued into the 12th in Sweden [MacGREGOR, MAINMAN & ROGERS 1999: p.1949].
MacGregor notes that the pins found at Jarlshof must have been made in a local workshop [MacGregor 2005:p.119]

References