Segmentgürtel mit mehrteiliger Anh ngekombination - Ein Frauenschmuckgürtel der Renaissance (Segmented Girdles with a Multi-part Pendant Construction - a Woman′s Decorative Girdle of the Renaissance)

The finds of this study consist of two belts, and a total of 24 fully preserved fragments show a different high number of conserved segments. They were primarily found as scattered finds in the Brandenburg districts Prignitz, Ostprignitz-Ruppin, Havelland, Upper Havel, district Jericho, Oder-Spree district, Dahme-Spreewald, Uckermark and in Berlin at the Mühlendamm/Spree. According to the present analysis, the examined girdles show a typical composition with fas-tenings consisting of oblong one-piece segments with blunt terminals and with a multi-part pendant construction. Based on formal characteristics they can be categorized as female decorative girdles of the type “Segmented girdles with multi-part pendant construction”.Some examples of fully preserved girdles have even been assembled from segments of several different types of manufacture and decorative motifs. This leads to the conclusion that in general these girdles were probably not produced by specialised craftsmen. Another aim of the present analysis was to work out specific characteristics facilitating the distinction of girdle segments from book-clasps. In this respect, the closing construction was of particular relevance. It could be clarified that toggle fastenings with a spade- or mushroom-shaped hole on the fastening sheet can undoubtedly be identified as girdle elements.