From Flint To Gold: A History Of Brooches

If you are looking for a statement brooch, you might consider many things; the choice of precious metals, the selection of encrusted gems, and the overall design (and the statement it makes) being but three.

Some may just consider the present and the impact their brooch may make when set alongside their other sartorial choices and contemporary fashions. All of that is absolutely fine, of course.

However, others may take a wider view and enjoy the appeal of something that has some kind of historical resonance in styles past, rather than the purely contemporary.

To appreciate the latter fully, it can help to understand the history of brooches, which goes back further than some might imagine.

According to The Jewellery Editor, the very first brooches date back to the Bronze Age and were a far cry from the luxury items made from precious metals and stones of today. Instead, they were comprised of materials like thorns and flint.

These were certainly not a fashion item for the rich and powerful, and the history of the brooch is not always one of statement items anyway. For instance, they developed a role as fasteners for scarves and shawls in the Byzantine period. The Vikings also used them as garment fasteners for both men’s and women’s clothes.

The change was gradual. Metal pins only emerged in the Middle Ages. However, as time went on, the development of fashions and changing designs of clothing created the opportunity for Brooches to be stand-alone jewellery items with a purely decorative purpose. This, of course, opened the door for them to become statements of opulence and luxury.

It was from the Middle Ages onwards that metal jewellery became commonplace across class barriers. The difference, of course, was that the wealthy wore items like brooches made from precious metals and jewels, while the rest wore items made from base metals.

Some might suggest this distinction remains today. But while the most spectacular statement jewellery was once the preserve of royalty and landed gentry, today all sorts of people of means can wear them. It’s been a long journey from the days of flint and thorn crafts worn by people living in roundhouses.