Copper adornments

Material – Metal, copper alloy

Place of Origin – Unknown

During the seventeenth century decorative copper alloy adornments were used to decorate leather, furniture, and trunks. Small copper alloy tacks were used to attach upholstery to furniture and decorate furniture, boxes, and trunks. Leather adornments often have two tines on the backside to allow them to be safely fastened to the leather. Ornaments were used to decorate leather objects like clothing, bags, horse hardware, and straps. These copper adornments were recovered from a c.1670-1690s building on a private lot in the Charles Towne settlement that has a brick foundation and chimney, poured lime floor, lime plastered walls, and multi-paned casement windows. During the seventeenth century architectural elements like these were often only accessible for the wealthy, churches, or other government buildings.

We have recovered two varieties of the small copper allow tacks – ones with a domed head and the other with a floral head. Multiple sizes of domed headed tacks have been recovered which may represent multiple pieces of furniture.

Copper alloy tack with a floral head


One copper adornment has a molded 6-petaled rose motif and may have been used as a decorative bridal boss that was attached to the sides of a horse bit.[i] A tack or post through the central hole would have allowed it to be fastened to the sides of a horse bit.

CTL Copper adornment bridal boss


Here are a few examples of symmetrical and asymmetrical copper adornments that were likely used to decorate leather objects:


A symmetrical copper adornment that resembles adjoining hexagons in a bow-tie like shape, has beveled edges and long robust tines on the back. The tines are slightly bent. A similar adornment was found on an early seventeenth century archaeological site in Maryland (18CV91 Smith’s St. Leonard c.1711-1754).[ii]


CTL copper adornment 1 frontCTL copper adornment 1 back
An asymmetrical copper adornment with a wide feathered end that tapers to a rounded point. The backside has two tines, one is broken.


A symmetrical copper adornment with a circular center and pointed ends. It has two smaller tines on the backside one is bent and the other is missing the tip. 



[i] John Clark, Medieval Finds From Excavations in London: 5 The Medieval Horse and its Equipment c.1150-c.1450. (Boydell Press, Woodbridge, UK, 2004), 53-55; John L. Cotter and J. Paul Hudson, New Discoveries at Jamestown: Site of the First Successful English Settlement in America (National Park Service, Washington D.C., 1957), 86-87.

[ii] Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum online reference of diagnostic artifacts in Maryland, accessed September 27, 2023 https://apps.jefpat.maryland.gov/diagnostic/SmallFinds/LeatherOrnaments/Web%20Pages/New%20window%20pop-up%20links/Individual%20artifact%20details/18CV91-310-asymmetric.htm

Charles Towne Landing Artifact Corner

Charles Towne Landing Artifact Corner