The View from the Hill....

Double Spiral Fibula

Extant double spiral fibula (also called “spectacle fibula by Victorian archaeologists) have been dated between the 10^th to 4^th centuries BC and are mainly associated with the Hallstatt and La Tine cultures. A double spiral fibula is made from a continuous length of bronze or silver wire and can range from 3.7 cm to 20.7 cm.

We are going to make a double spiral fibula of about 5.5 – 6 cm (that’s 2 – 2.5 inches for those of us metric impaired). This is a good size for a light cloak or a chiton. You can scale these instructions up (or down) by changing the gage of wire and the number of spirals used.

This class will not require any previous metal/wire working experience, but you will need wire and some basic tools.

What you’ll need;

Materials;

26 inches of 16 gage wire of your choice (double this if you want to make a pair)

If using 14 gage wire, use 24 inches to get roughly the same size

Tools:

Round nose pliers (or any pliers that you happen to have)

Something to cut the wire with

Something to hammer with (since we are just hammering to work harden, this can be rawhide or a lite jeweler’s hammer)

Something to hammer on (a bench block, jeweler’s anvil, on up to whatever hard surface you might have.

Something to measure with (any kind of ruler)

Something to file the point of the pin (jeweler’s file, Dremel, bench grinder…in a pinch you can use a cosmetic nail file)

The Process

Cut 26 inches of 16 gage wire.
Bend one end ½ inch into a right angle
Bend the other end 2 inches into a right angle. Make sure they face the same direction.
Join the two ends of the wire between the bends to find the middle
Make a small loop in the middle
Take which ever end seems longer and bend into a loop to create an infinity with the other loop
Start coiling from one end. I generally coil counterclockwise. Try to keep it tight and neat and coil up to the infinity in the middle
Repeat on the other end
Hammer the coils to work harden
Hammer the short bend to work harden
Bend the short bend into a catch for the pin. If it is too long, use your wire cutters to snip off a bit. File the end so it won’t snag clothing.
Hammer the long bend to work harden
Check the length of the long bend to make sure it reaches the catch. Cut the tip on an angle to start shaping the point of the pin. If your pin is just long enough cut just a bit. If it is too long, cut as much as needed. Remembering that you still need to make the ½ coil or coil
File the tip to create a sharp end on the pin

Note: Most extant pieces of the double spiral fibula don’t have the coil spring like other fibula of this time period. When you make the coil, you can pull the spiral out of shape.

15a. Hammer to work harden a half coil with the pin facing the catch. The work hardening will provide the spring action.

15b. Make a coil with the long bend as close to the spiral as possible. Bend toward the catch, down around your round nose pliers then back up to face your catch. Neaten up the coil and the spiral. Hammer the spiral again if it is too much out of shape.