Level 3 - Life in Roman Sussex - Personal Life-style

Personal Life-style

Ornamentation & Cosmetics

Items of personal ornamentation are among the more common metallic artefact finds on Romano-British sites, and almost a quarter of the current database objects from Sussex museums fall into this category. The making of jewellery items was a very specialist craft (see Crafts & Industry), and their conspicuous display upon a person would serve to exhibit their wealth.

Brooches or fibulae, which were used to secure clothing, were especially prolific in the very late pre-Roman Iron Age and early Roman period. The brooch forms have been catalogued according to type and range from simple one-piece Nauheim types (like a safety pin) to elaborate hinged plate brooches.

Other items of decorative jewellery became more common throughout the 1st to 4th centuries, and included pins, bracelets and rings. Finger-rings could be particularly significant, either as a sign of high status, such as the gold rings from Fishbourne, or else because they were used as seal stamps, such as the intaglio (engraved gemstone) rings from sites including Chichester and Wiggonholt. Such stamps may have been impressed upon a wax seal to act as a signature.

In addition to wearing jewellery, Romano-British woman also used cosmetics to improve their appearance. Stone palettes used to grind and mix cosmetics have been found in the graves of wealthy Romano-British women at St Pancras and North Lancing, while a complete elliptical mortar and pestle set used to prepare and apply make-up was also found in the Chichester cemetery site. Scent may have been used, possibly from small glass unguent bottles such as that found at Bignor, although this may alternatively have contained medicine.

Finally, we also know something of Romano-British hairstyles, especially of women, from the figurines and portrait busts found in the region, although it must be noted that most if not all were probably made on the continent. Of particular extravagance were the women's hairstyles belonging to the Flavian period (c.AD80-120), as illustrated by the Chichester figurine opposite. This would have needed significant attention, and would thus only have been worn by women from wealthy households. Polished silver or bronze mirrors such the one from St Pancras were vital pieces of equipment for dressing the hair and applying make-up.