Legit Roman buckle?

[Kilian O]

Hey guys!

Can anyone tell me if this fits the 'roman style'

Material: bronze
Weight: 27 grams.
Lenght: 64 mm.
Breadth: 32 mm.
Tickness: 4 mm.
Finder says he found it: Turnacum (Tournai -Belgium). This was the second oldest Roman city in Belgium after Aduatuca Tungrorum (Tongeren).

[mauseus]

Hi,

I am not an expert on buckles. I tend to look at some British metal detector specialist pages on buckles and they suggest it might date from 1350's through to 1500+. That is not to say Britain can be used as a surrogate for the continent. The link is below:

https://www.ukdfd.co.uk/ceejays_site/pages/buckletitlepage.htm

Regards,

Mauseus

[Kilian O]

It just doesn't look or feel Roman to me so was looking for a second opinion. I would lean more towards a later period and perhaps what you linked. Not knowing alot either about it but maybe someone on here does. Thanks! 

[SC]

That was my first thought too.  High medieval.  For example, the Museum of London book "Dress Accessories 1150 - 1450" includes this type as a "double-oval frame buckle". 

However, the tongue looks very, very Roman.  I can't find a tongue with that kind of moulded and incised design on any medieval example!

Also, many late Roman-era buckles, especially Germanic, consisted of a long and thin single oval with a similar tongue.

So, assuming the tongue is original, I would personally call it: undecided - possibly high medieval and possibly late-Roman local/provincial style.

Hopefully we can find either a Roman example of the double-oval or a medieval example of that tongue style.

SC

PS - If it looks possible that the tongue was added after excavation then maybe you have medieval buckle and Roman tongue.