File:Bodkin (section) (FindID 639605).jpg

English: Incomplete silver bodkin, broken into two parts and missing its tip, and bent at a right angle but would originally have been straight. The semi-circular terminal has a trefoil or fleur de lis knop mounted above it and contains a circular perforation which is 3 mm in diameter. About 17 mm along the bodkin from the pierced circle, there is a rectangular eye slot. The slot is 13 mm long, 1.6 mm wide and 2 mm in depth. Below this slot, on one flat side of the bodkin, are a series of punched dots (using the 'pointillé' technique) in the form of the letters 'M B' (initials), followed by the date '1657'. These bodkins were used as hair pins to decorate the hair, and the circular perforations were used to suspend drop pearls from silver wires to make them more ornate.

Similar silver bodkins from Cornwall have been recorded on to the database in records; <a href="http://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/record/id/184205">CORN-943711</a> (2007 T222) and <a href="http://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/record/id/505571">CORN-73B0C5</a> 2012 T405.

Bailey (1997) illustrates similar bodkins with dates and initials on pages 76-77, Nos.1, 13 & 15, which are dated from 1675, 1670 and the 17th century respectively.

Another example which has a similar terminal is illustrated in the Treasure Annual Report 2004, on page 287, Fig.250.2, No.250, (2004 T381) which is dated from the 17th century.