The clothing of Anglo-Saxon men in Pagan times was certainly girdled or belted, as demonstrated by the survival of fragments of leather or textile from which the belt was made, by the numerous preservations in situ of fasteners such as buckles, and the fairly regular discovery of objects at the hip or waist which had obviously been attached to belts, although the number and range of such objects is less in male burials.

Belts were worn both to hold up the trousers and to girdle the tunic.   Most belts were of leather and were fastened by buckles, although woven girdles could also be worn.   The majority of belts were utilitarian items and were often used to hang items of equipment from, although belt ornaments are known. 

Not all belts were fastened by buckles, many would have been 'tie-belts' where one end of the leather belt is tied through a loop in the other end (a belt of this type was found on the body of the 'Tollund Man' in Denmark.   It is likely that a plain belt, perhaps only a tie-belt or braid girdle, was used to support the trousers (where it would not be seen) whilst a more decorative belt was used over the tunic (where it would be more visible).   Many of the most ornate belts tended to be swordbelts. #1

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.

It is likely pouches, and possibly some knives may have hung from the trouser belt rather than the tunic belt. 

A few elaborate belts of the late Roman military type were still used during the fifth century, although most leather belts were generally quite narrow, between about ½-1¼" (12-32mm) wide. 

Belts were known by the Old English words belt or fetel. 

Knives are the items commonly found suspended from belts, usually small utilitarian items with blade lengths around 3-5" (75-125mm).   Small bronze tweezers are often found at the waist, presumably either suspended from the belt or in a small pouch..   Archaeologist usually assume these were used for hair removal because of their similarity to modern eyebrow tweezers.   Although sometimes found in female graves, the majority of these come from male burials.   Whilst it is possible they may have been used for keeping facial hair neat, practical use of these suggests another purpose - they are excellent for removing splinters and thorns, hazards an Anglo-Saxon man probably encountered more often than women.

Another fairly common item in mail burials are whetstones, again seemingly i a small pouch or bag.   Other items include combs, awls, etc..   Cremations often include a small knife of a type assumed to be a razor, and in life these may also have been worn at the belt.

Special leather pouches known as fetels (probably to carry fire starting materials, not money #4) were also sometimes worn on the belt, and could often have a fire-steel attached to the front or carried inside them.   These could be quite elaborate.    Continental evidence suggests that these would be worn at the back of the belt.
 

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, but pairs are far less common in male burials.  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   The early Anglo-Saxons did not use money although Roman and continental coins are sometimes found in burials.   They were probably kept for their ornamental value.   The earliest purse for money seems to be the extremely ornate and unusual purse from the 7th century Royal Burial at Sutton Hoo.   back

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