DRESS FASTENER (DRESS)

A complete Post Medieval copper alloy fastener or toggle. The base is the shape of an elongated and slightly pointed oval and sub-oval in section. The base is connected to the stem, which is now bent but would have been straight during use, and terminates in a double loop. There are raised collars around the loops on both sides and the mold seam is still visible at the base. There is a dark green patina covering the entire object, and the base and stem show some wear on the surface. There are many similar objects recorded on the database: WMID-083DF2, SWYOR-674821, IOW-5B76A6, WMID-8B2C03.

The fastener is 25.36 mm long, 19.4 mm wide, 7.04 mm thick and weighs 6.02 g. The diameter of both loops is 2.9 mm.

This object is one of a group of artefacts which were originally identified by Ralph Jackson and Sally Worrell as cosmetic pestles, dating from the late Iron Age or early Roman period, AD 100 - 200. However, there is a growing body of evidence to suggest that at least some of these items are in fact clothing fasteners; toggles similar to those on a duffle coat. One piece of evidence is the distribution of PAS examples, which differ from the distribution of cosmetic sets. See the discussion on page 6 of Jackson (2010) Cosmetic Sets of Late Iron Age and Roman Britain, and compare number 513 and 593.