Reassessing the long chronology of the penannular brooch in Britain : exploring changing styles, use and meaning across a millennium
Penannular brooches are a simple form of dress fastener used in Britain from the late Iron Age, through to the Roman and Early Medieval periods. This thesis represents the first full study of their British development for fifty years. The catalogue of penannulars originally compiled by Elizabeth Fowler in the late 1950s has been more than doubled, allowing a thorough re-analysis of chronological variation and continuity in stylistic development, distribution, use and deposition. This has been carried out via broad analysis of the penannular database and two regional case studies looking at South-West England and Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire, the two areas where penannulars were concentrated throughout their chronology. Many previous studies have focused only on the later penannular types, leading to an unbalanced approach dominated by the preoccupations of early medieval archaeology. This has created the perception that penannulars had a simple evolutionary development that contributed to the straightforward survival of a âCelticâ culture in some regions during the Roman period and beyond. To counterbalance this, analysis here has particularly focused on the earlier end of the penannular chronology.
Booth, Anna Louise
Reassessing the long chronology of the penannular brooch in Britain : exploring changing styles, use and meaning across a millennium. Penannular brooches are a simple form of dress fastener used in Britain from the late Iron Age, through to the Roman and Early Medieval periods. This thesis represents the first full study of their British development for fifty years. The catalogue of penannulars originally compiled by Elizabeth Fowler in the late 1950s has been more than doubled, allowing a thorough re-analysis of chronological variation and continuity in stylistic development, distribution, use and deposition. This has been carried out via broad analysis of the penannular database and two regional case studies looking at South-West England and Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire, the two areas where penannulars were concentrated throughout their chronology. Many previous studies have focused only on the later penannular types, leading to an unbalanced approach dominated by the preoccupations of early medieval archaeology. This has created the perception that penannulars had a simple evolutionary development that contributed to the straightforward survival of a âCelticâ culture in some regions during the Roman period and beyond. To counterbalance this, analysis here has particularly focused on the earlier end of the penannular chronology.
long chronology brooch britain explore change style use meaning across millennium brooch simple form dress use britain late_iron age_roman early_medieval period represent_first full study british development catalogue originally compile elizabeth double allow thorough analysis chronological variation continuity stylistic_development distribution use_deposition carry via broad analysis database regional_case study_look south_west_england yorkshire north lincolnshire two_area concentrate throughout chronology many previous_study focus later type lead dominated preoccupation early_medieval archaeology create perception simple evolutionary development contribute straightforward survival celtic culture region roman_period beyond counterbalance analysis particularly focus earlier end chronology