[Bonetools] rectangular headed bone pins

[James William Boyle]

Sonia,
     These most resemble Roman-style pins of the pedestal/bust type - it appears that the female busts are broken off, leaving the pedestal base behind as the pin head. Metal versions of these pins are shown in 
Cool, Hilary (1990) Roman metal hairpins from southern Britain. Archaeological Journal 147:148-182

Bone versions are fairly common, and some broken and intact examples are shown in 
Crummy, Nina (1983) Colchester Archaeological Report 2: The Roman small finds from excavations in Colchester 1971-9. Colchester Archaeological Trust Ltd. 
Particulalrly note pages 25-26.

I'm not sure if those dates match with the contexts of these pins, but they would have few similarities that I would know about with Anglo-Saxon or early medieval Scottish and Irish bone pins.

I hope that helps,
    Jim Boyle