Medieval pewter button "Rilled"

Authentic replica of a medieval pewter button.

This true-to-detail replica of a medieval pewter button is made from a historical model and dates to the late Middle Ages.

Small pewter buttons are often found in the finds of the later Middle Ages and were characteristic of the garments of that time, where long rows of buttons were common for the decorative closure of clothing.

With the solidly cast-on eyelet on the underside, the medieval pewter button can be sewn onto the garment with a few stitches.

The size of the pewter button is 1.2 x 1.1 cm. The eyelet is 2 mm wide.

The medieval button is made of high-quality pewter.

The button was transmitted by oriental influences via the trade routes of the long-distance traders across the Mediterranean to the north, but before the middle of the 13th century it was still hardly common in Europe. The medieval pewter button frequently had a spherical shape, but flat pewter buttons were also common, or those with a floral design.

A medieval pewter button, however, did not usually have holes in it, but had a small eyelet on the back with which it could be sewn to the garment. In addition to pewter buttons, brass or bronze and even silver buttons were also in use in the Middle Ages.