Wroxeter Roman City dress fastener

3D Model

This Roman dress fastener from the later 1st century AD was found during excavations at Wroxeter Roman City.

The fastener was used to join together the two ends of a flowing dress or cloak on the wearer’s shoulder. The female bust would sit upright and visible, and the loop (to thread the trailing end of the dress through) would have hanged down, probably obscured behind a draping piece of the cloth.

Buttons were not used to fasten clothes in the Roman period, instead various accessories such as brooches, toggles and fasteners were used.

This accessory, cast in copper alloy, depicts a goddess, possibly holding out a basket containing either a cake or a piece of fruit. Sculptures of mother goddesses, holding baskets of foods as a symbol of bounty and fruitfulness, are often seen on the continent; it is unusual to see one depicted on a small dress fitting such as this.