# Can you identify this Roman/Medieval artifact? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 2, 2012, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-roman-medieval-artifact/633470 "2012-09-02T19:36:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2012, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-roman-medieval-artifact/633470/1 "2012-09-02T19:36:02Z")
My son picked this up for a few bucks at a flea market. The guy selling it seemed fairly honest about labeling stuff when he could identify it and letting you know when it was “something probably Roman” or “Likely medieval”, etc. Anyway, this was labeled as “Roman/Medieval” but he didn’t have any other info on it. I’m sure it got dredged up somewhere and sold in a bulk lot. [![](https://i.imgur.com/wzZ0l.png) ](https://i.imgur.com/wzZ0l.png) I’m pretty sure it’s bronze but, aside from that I’m at a loss. It could, of course, be some decorative bit like a pendant but I thought I’d throw it out there and see if anyone had a clue. ---
**Author:** ![Bewildebeest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@Bewildebeest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bewildebeest)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2012, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-roman-medieval-artifact/633470/2 "2012-09-02T19:55:31Z")
Could it be a shoe or sash buckle? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2012, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-roman-medieval-artifact/633470/3 "2012-09-02T21:26:47Z")
Googling “bronze shoe buckle” or “bronze strap end” certainly brings up some comparable items (although nothing identical) ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2012, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-roman-medieval-artifact/633470/4 "2012-09-02T21:39:58Z")
I sent the picture to a friend of mine who does this as a professional. I’ll report back when I hear from him. ---
**Author:** ![getitrite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@getitrite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/getitrite)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2012, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-roman-medieval-artifact/633470/5 "2012-09-02T22:03:54Z")
Part of a clasp, the frog type, the other peice would have a rounded head that goes through the largest hole and hooks the other end, from the size of it for a clasp to a heavy leather type cloak. Without the other peice can’t be sure. ---
**Author:** ![Critical1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@Critical1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Critical1)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2012, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-roman-medieval-artifact/633470/6 "2012-09-02T23:21:53Z")
it looks like a ring/bottle opener from here, but the clasp idea is probably dead on. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2012, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-roman-medieval-artifact/633470/7 "2012-09-02T23:30:48Z")
Looks like a quarter. ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2012, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-roman-medieval-artifact/633470/8 "2012-09-02T23:56:16Z")
a hobbit knuckleduster? too small. a buckle/clasp. ---
**Author:** ![Sudden\_Kestrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Sudden\_Kestrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sudden_Kestrel)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2012, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-roman-medieval-artifact/633470/9 "2012-09-03T00:14:22Z")
Impish brass knuckles? Seriously, it looks vaguely similar in scale to an old bridle buckle we dug up in our (Midwestern US) yard this summer, but the 4 holes wouldn’t make any sense for that. It also looks too delicate to be used with heavy strapping or for anything requiring great strength, so maybe a clasp for something made of fabric. In your photo, it looks like there is a decorative element cast into the piece (directly below the outermost holes). Even if it didn’t start out that way, it would make a cool pendant :D. ---
**Author:** ![Lukeinva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lukeinva/32/17872_2.png) [@Lukeinva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lukeinva)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2012, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-roman-medieval-artifact/633470/10 "2012-09-03T00:47:52Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Looks like a quarter. He’s asking about the other thing. ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2012, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-roman-medieval-artifact/633470/11 "2012-09-03T01:48:27Z")
> [@Lukeinva](#): > > He’s asking about the other thing. It’s pink lino. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2012, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-roman-medieval-artifact/633470/12 "2012-09-03T02:49:20Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Looks like a quarter. Wokka-wokka-wokka! Thanks, everyone. The clasp thing sounds the most logical but of course I invite any other ideas. Or lame jokes 😛 **Maastricht** , thanks for soliciting the expert opinion! I look forward to seeing if there’s any extra ideas from it. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2012, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-roman-medieval-artifact/633470/13 "2012-09-03T06:08:19Z")
> [@the\_diego](#): > > too small. a buckle/clasp. It’s not too small to be a _small_ buckle/clasp. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2012, 10:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-roman-medieval-artifact/633470/14 "2012-09-03T10:28:43Z")
Definitely a clasp or strap-end. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2012, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-roman-medieval-artifact/633470/15 "2012-09-03T18:52:38Z")
Lacing point? Cuisse strap buckle? If it was scrounged off an old battlefield by a metal detector faddist, I would suggest part of the buckles holding armor together. And I might point out that technically if it was collected by metal detector after 1971, it is considered looted unless it actually has the documentation with it. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2012, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-roman-medieval-artifact/633470/16 "2012-09-03T19:39:21Z")
Cite? ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2012, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-roman-medieval-artifact/633470/17 "2012-09-04T02:16:35Z")
I do not know what it actually is, but I seriously doubt that it is Roman, or even medieval. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2012, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-roman-medieval-artifact/633470/18 "2012-09-04T03:32:17Z")
Doesn’t look like anything armour-related to me. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2012, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-roman-medieval-artifact/633470/19 "2012-09-04T04:29:39Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > It’s not too small to be a _small_ buckle/clasp. I was thinking bridle or harness fitting. Some of those buckles are teensy.