Beauty and Change – Remarks on the Osterburger Fibeln

Abstract

The Osterburger Fibel is a specific brooch of the Early Preroman Iron Age. Typical attributes are the fixed connection of foot and bow as well as twisting the string around the bow neck. The brooch is distributed over Central Germany and the southern part of the North German Lowlands. Regional variations can be identifi ed. The brooch belongs to the 4th and 3rd century BC. In older investigations the brooch was seen as a retarded copy of Latène Vogelkopffi bel. A side view on sociological studies shows that the development of jewellery is a complex social process. It is not the copy of existing forms but the symbolic, form finding and acceptance as part of the social life are of main importance.