Hat and Feather - The Copper Alloy

Following on from the explanation of the Hat and Feather excavations and Will’s blog on the worked bone, this blog will take a closer look at some of the copper alloy objects from the site.


Living in Aquae Sulis Case

As part of the recent redevelopment of the public displays at the Roman Baths, nine pieces made from copper alloy from the Hat and Feather site were chosen to go on display in the new Aquae Sulis area. Below are images and information we have drawn from some of these objects to better inform you, the viewer, about Roman Bath.

Roman hair pins

As Will so neatly explained in the worked bone from the site blog, these types of pins were used to fix things. In this case they were used to fix the fancy hairstyles as seen in a previous blog http://www.bathsbloggers.blogspot.co.uk/2011/07/qui-dignes-es.html

Living in Aquae Sulis Case

Hair Pin BATRM2001.62.2.5

Hair Pin BATRM2001.62.2.5

Hair Pin BATRM2001.62.2.6

Roman brooches.

Brooches were worn to hold clothes in place and as ornamental decoration. Brooches changed with fashion and styles and you can see below three different types of brooches popular during the Roman period.

Bow Brooch BATRM2001.62.2.8

Floriate Cross Plate Brooch BATRM2001.62.2.9

Oval Brooch BATRM2001.62.2.7

Roman balance arm

Used by Roman traders and merchants to be sure of the weight of the goods they were selling. They used scales, in which an arm had a hook suspended from it (to attach to whatever was being weighed) and a weight. When the arm balanced exactly, the trader and customer could see that the item being sold was the same as the weight.

Balance Arm  BATRM2001.62.2.3

Reconstruction of Roman Balance

Along with these objects on display at the Roman Baths Museum there is a display of the object material and more information on the site at T R Hayes’ Furniture Store, London Street, Bath (the site of the excavation). If you are interested to see more then why not pop along to the shop and take a look? Not local? No time? Then follow this link for more information on the creation of the display http://www.bathsbloggers.blogspot.co.uk/2010/10/hot-off-press.html  

Helen Harman - Collections Assistant