The costume of Anglo-Saxon women in Pagan times was certainly girdled or belted, as demonstrated by the survival of the leather or textile from which the belt was made, by the numerous preservations in situ of fasteners such as buckles, and the regular discovery of objects at the hip or waist which had obviously been attached to belts. 

The belt could be worn at the waist, or low on the hips (or even, sometimes just below the breasts #1) and seems to have served one of several purposes.   It was used to cinch in the gown, and adjust it's length by blousing over it.   In some cases it seems a simple belt was worn to blouse the gown over, with a more decorative belt worn visibly over the gown.   It also allowed the suspension of objects the woman would need in her everyday life or symbols of her status such as keys or girdle hangers.

Women's belts seem to have been fastened by many different ways including buckles, tie-belts, knotting, or perhaps, toggles.    Belts could be of leather or fabric, most commonly tablet weave.

Leather belts were generally quite narrow, between about ½-1¼" (12-32mm) wide.   Some were clearly intended to be seen as they are decorated with decorative plates and ornate buckles.   Others were much plainer, sometimes simple tie belts with no buckles at all. 

Textile belts were also commonly used, and like the leather belts could be plain and simple or ornate.   Metal belt plates do not seem to have been used on textile belts, although tablet woven examples could be highly patterned, and might have a buckle or strap end(s). #2

Metal strap ends were used on belts, but wheras in the medieval period the association of strap-end and buckle became common, the examples from pagan Saxon contexts are numerically far outweighed by buckles and were clearly less common in wear. #3   They are also frequently found without an associated buckle.   Even when buckles and strap-ends are found in the same burial they often seem not to be intended as a set.    Organic remains suggest that both buckles and strap ends were used on both leather and textile belts.

Many items hung from the belt including knives, shears, keys, toilet implements, cosmetic tools (tweezers, brushes, etc.), amulets, spindles, pouches, etc.. #4

The commonest item to be found at the belt was a small iron knife.   Sometimes more than one are found.   A bag or pouch seems to have also been common.   Many were simple textile or leather pouches, although some high status burials contain an ivory ring which seems to have been the frame for a textile purse or bag.   Bags are usually only indicated by collections of small items, sometimes with textile adhering, found at the waist.

In Anglian areas high status women wore a pair of girdle-hangers (thought to be a symbol of rank) suspended from the belt, whereas in Saxon and Jutish areas bunches of iron keys are more common.

	In this picture you can see a buckled leather belt supporting a textile bag and a small knife.
	The figure on the left has the peplos gown heavily bloused over a belt.  The right hand figure has a drop spindle tucked into the belt and a textile purse with a hoop frame made of ivory.
	In this picture the belt is of tablet weave, supporting a knife and small leather bag.

1   This method was probably most often used during pregnancy.  back

2   Strap ends may have been used to prevent the ends of textile girdles from fraying.   Pairs of matching or very similar strap-ends are often found in women's graves.   back

3  The most common association of buckles and strap-ends together throughout the Anglo-Saxon period are from sword-belts and horse-harness. back

4   These items, along with buckles and strap-ends, will be discussed in more detail in a later lesson.   back

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