Pin

This bone pin was found in Orkney. It was used as a dress pin or a hairpin, sometime between 850 and 1000.

As is the case with many similar bone pins, the head has a hole in it, perhaps to attach a cord which was then tied around the point to keep the pin in place. It has been carved with a series of projections.

Bone pins are common finds from Viking settlements in Britain and Scandinavia, reflecting their common use as dress pins to fasten clothing together. They come in a range of sizes and styles, some quite elaborate.

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