Brooches

A brooch also known in ancient times as a fibula, is a decorative jewellery item designed to be attached to garments, often to hold them closed. It is usually made of metal. Brooches are frequently decorated with enamel or with gemstones and may be solely for ornamental purposes, or sometimes serve a practical function as a fastening, perhaps for a tartan sash. The earliest known brooches are from the Bronze Age. As fashions in brooches changed rather quickly, they are important chronological indicators