All I Want For Christmas Is...Part 2! Quiz

While the use of brooches is mostly ornamental today, back in the Bronze Age they were needed as clothing fasteners, like safety pins. The earliest brooches made were a step up from a straight pin, which probably could not be relied upon to stay in place! As people progressed in their metal working skills, iron brooches were made, and that was when the designs became more refined.

Brooches that were made before the Middle Ages are also called fibulae, and are the forerunners to modern safety pins. They were typically worn on the right shoulder. Over time, the design of the fibulae also displayed a person's status.

The Byzantines adopted the use and manufacturing of brooches from the ancient Romans, who used fibulae to fasten their garments. Roman fashion was copied in the Byzantine Empire, but over time evolved into its own style.

During the Byzantine Era, brooches were used almost exclusively an indicator of wealth and status. The bigger and heavier the brooch (or ring or bracelet or earrings), the more important its owner. Although gold was the preferred metal of the wealthy, silver and other metals were used as well. Colorful gemstones and enamels were use to enhance the color of the piece.

Brooches were popular, especially among Anglo-Saxon women who needed a way to keep their clothing fastened. As time went on, however, brooches became symbols of the status of their owner and were more decorative in nature.

The earliest Anglo-Saxon brooches were the safety pin and long (bow) style, which included designs such as cruciform and square-headed, which were more popular among woman. The design of the circular brooch, or disc, became popular with men by the middle to late Anglo-Saxon Era.

Craftsmen in Kent were known for their expertise in metal working and brooch making at this time. They were known for the Kentish square-headed brooch and their circular jeweled brooches. Their brooches were typically either enameled or left plain.

Beginning in the eighth century, the Vikings made brooches out of copper alloy or silver that were commonly made with many different designs, including oval, bird shaped, and circular. Usually called Germanic Animal Style decoration, the details featured on the brooch often showed interlaced zoomorphic animals.

Like others before them, Vikings used the brooches to fasten their clothes and display their wealth. They were used by both men and women.

Buttons were created during the Middle Ages, which made the need for brooches obsolete when it came to fastening clothes. Nevertheless, they continued to be popularly used for decoration, as magical pagan charms, Christian symbols, or shameless displays of wealth.

During the Renaissance there was more wealth in Europe, and people put it to good use, although they did tend to melt down old jewelry and have it repurposed. Upper class people commissioned opulent brooches, decorated with pearls, precious gemstones, and even miniature portraits.

Named after the four Georges who served as kings of England, the Georgian Age brooches were simpler in design. While diamonds and pearls were still used as decoration, the general themes of design were nature, bows, animals, and miniature portraits.

The Georgian Period was followed by the Neoclassical Era beginning in 1760. It was an important time in brooch making because they weren't just for the wealthy any more. This was also when the use of cameos became popular.

Queen Victoria liked her brooches! Nature, cameos, and hearts were popular designs - that is, until her husband Prince Albert suddenly died. Then brooches became symbols of mourning. They often contained a lock of the deceased's hair or their portrait. Mourning brooches were typically heavy in appearance and used black stones for decoration.

Well, the French had enough of Queen Victoria's mourning! They began a short period (1895-1905) of brooch making that saw the popularity of light brooches depicting flowers, insects, and even sensual women. This era was cut short by the beginning of World War I.

The Edwardian Era was the first to incorporate the use of platinum into the design of brooches. For this reason, jewelers were able to make brooches that were delicate filigree, which was so fine that it looked almost like lace. Diamonds, gemstone, and pearls were still used for adornment.

From 1920 through 1939 Cubism and Fauvism were popular movements in the art world, and brooch design reflected that. Geometric and abstract shapes were all the rage, and Egyptian art designs became popular. This led to a new variety of ornamental materials, such as coral, lapis, and carnelian, being introduced. Lovely!