THE EARLIEST ORNAMENTS In Palaeolithic times, hunters and gatherers used to adorn themselves with ornaments made out of stones and shells and this practice continued for many thousands of years until the discovery of metals. In ancient times necklaces and pendants were the most commonly used and were worn by both men and women. Apotropaic powers were probably attributed to them and it was thought that they could ward off evil spirits. In the Bronze Age, especially between the end of the Bronze Age and the Iron Age, other ornaments were added such as armlets (bracelets for men and women), chains, pins and brooches in various shapes, and rings. In Sicily, the most ancient finds from the prehistoric period include two shell necklaces found in the burial grounds of Grotta d’Oriente at Favignana (Trapani), as well as pendants made out of animal teeth and parts of a decorated shell necklace from Grotta dell’Uzzo (Trapani), which date from the Mesolithic period (VII Millennium BC) and are particularly rare. In the early and middle periods of the Bronze Age (XXII-XIII century BC) there is much evidence of the use of ornaments made from bones or the crafting of natural minerals, even though the various forms of the beads which make up the necklaces and bracelets (lenticular, cylindrical or barrel shaped etc.), indicate more highly developed techniques and more refined tastes: this is clear from the calcite necklaces found in two tombs in Torrebigini (Trapani), which have been reassembled on the basis of the shape and dimensions of the beads. In the proto-historic period (XI-VIII century BC) the widespread use of personal ornaments, made particularly of bronze, is confirmed by the burial objects found: necklaces – sometimes decorated with pieces in bone, amber and coral – earrings, rings, brooches, hair slides and pendants, which vary in shape and size: among the most common are double spiral or singe spiral designs, which together with the single or double ringed armlets confirm the existence of the widespread use of specialised metallic shapes on the Italian mainland, too. Images: (1) (2) (3) THE FIBULAE The fibula, shaped like a safety pin, was widely used in ancient times as an accessory to fasten men and women’s clothes or as an ornament. Its history is closely linked to the history of dress. Therefore the ways it was used varied in relation to the type of garment, the material used (fabric or fur) and to the fashion of the various ages. The fibula first entered daily life among the Mediterranean populations and on the European continent in the Late Bronze Age and was used particularly throughout the Iron Age It was in common use in Greece and in Italy until the Classical Age (V century BC). By this time the new styles of dress did not always require the use of the fibula, especially as buttons were introduced which were more practical and secure and more suited to the lighter materials in fashion at that time. In Hellenistic and Roman times the fibula was again popular, and in some cases it became a real jewel used for ceremonies and processions. Fibulae are often found in tombs, together with the clothing of the deceased. Essential elements of the fibula are the pin (known as acus), the upper part which keeps it in place (bow), the fixed or elastic joint which joins the two parts (spring) and the slot for the pin on the opposite side from the spring (catch). The dimensions are usually between 5 and 20 centimetres, depending on the function of the fibula, but there are also examples of miniature fibulae and of very large ones, whose purpose is difficult to understand (for rituals, processions, etc.). Images: (1) (2) (3)