Colchester Archaeological Report 2: The Roman small finds

Fig 197 Rings (1:1)
BONE 7PEGS (Fig 199; 4463-4472)
Each of these ?pegs has a flat head, an elliptical
section, and a simple tapering shaft. The shaft
suggests that they may be of 1st- or 2nd-century date
by analogy with bone hairpins of Types 1 and 2.
However, most of these pieces derive from later
Roman or post-Roman contexts. A further four similar
pieces were found in post-Roman levels, and these
are probably of post-Roman date. This slight
difference of date in context and the rather thick
shafts of the objects when compared with hairpins
lead to the suggestions that they may be pegs, or styli,
or possibly awls. As pegs they could serve a variety of
162
Fig 198 Chains (1:1)
domestic uses, perhaps as meat skewers, or as eating
utensils, or as dressmaker's pins to hold two pieces of
fabric together during the manufacture of a garment,
or as dress pins. If the latter identification were
correct then a late Roman date would perhaps
indicate an affinity between these objects and Saxon
dress pins (MacGregor 1976, 13).
4465 Fig 199 SF LWC 2688, J595 F184. Circular depression.
?Sinkage. Period 4a. Length 111.5 mm, diameter of head
6.0mm.
4466 Fig 199 SF BKC 992(C), D396. Town ditch fill. Late Period 6
or Anglo-Saxon. Length 127.5 mm, diameter of head
7.0mm.
4468 Fig 199 SF BKC 3286(C), J189 F42. Pit. Probably Period 5.
Tip missing. Length 73.0mm, diameter of head 7.5 mm.