The History of Belt Buckles

Belt buckles date back to the Bronze Age. During this time, they were used with belts to help carry weapons and tools. Roman soldiers and gladiators were known to wear custom belt buckles. Traders and merchants are thought to have worn belts and belt buckles as well. However, it wasn’t until the 1500s in Spain that decorative belt buckles with custom designs were worn by the public. Interestingly, it’s not clear if belts were worn too, or if the belt buckles were worn on their own as decorative objects. Belts and belt buckles worn together became widely popular for the first time beginning in the 1600s. Today, there are many different types of belt buckles to choose from, including frame style buckles, plate style buckles, box frame buckles, O-ring buckles, and D-ring buckles.