Brooch · La Tène
La Tène fibula
450–50 BCE, La Tène
The La Tène fibula is the sprung bronze or iron brooch of the Late Iron Age Celtic world, about 450 to 50 BCE, whose foot turns back toward the bow. The relation of foot to bow defines the periods: free in La Tène I, clasped in II and cast as a frame in III. It is the standard dating tool for Iron Age graves and settlements.
| Object | Brooch |
|---|---|
| Dates | 450–50 BCE |
| Period | La Tène |
| Cultures | La Tène |
| Regions | Europe — Western & Central, Europe — Northern & British Isles |
Diagnostic traits
Bronze or iron sprung brooch whose foot turns back toward the bow; in early forms it is free, in middle forms it is clasped to the bow, and in late forms the foot and bow are cast as one frame.
Identification
The returned foot separates it from Hallstatt boat and serpentine fibulae; Early La Tène has a free foot with a knob, Middle a foot clasped to the bow, Late a frame or Nauheim form. Springs are bilateral with external or internal chords. Iron examples corrode heavily.
Reproductions and fakes
Reproduced for reenactors and then sold as antiquities; look for uniform patina, unworn springs and machine-cut pins. Genuine brooches show wear where the pin sat.
Cite this article
Stratum Strata. "La Tène fibula" (Artifact type). Stratum Strata pack 2026.09, as of 2026-09-21. https://stratum.black/strata/types/la-tene-fibula. Accessed 2026-09-21.
@misc{stratum-la-tene-fibula,
title = {La Tène fibula},
author = {{Stratum Strata}},
howpublished = {\url{https://stratum.black/strata/types/la-tene-fibula}},
year = {2026},
note = {Artifact type article, Stratum Strata pack 2026.09, as of 2026-09-21; sources: stratum, commons. Accessed 2026-09-21.}
} Citations carry the pack version and the article's as-of date so they resolve to the same text later. The facts themselves belong to the sources listed below; cite those for the science.