This type of belt buckle may have been used by Byzantine military forces during the 7th century A.D. Belts of this shape seem to have been an obligatory part of the uniform of the Byzantine cavalry starting in the 6th century A.D. Not only was this style buckle used for belts, but also to hold the edges of funerary dress in the mid 6th century A.D. Thus, this buckle may have once held the garments of a soldier in place while riding off to defend the borders of his empire. It may have also secured the dress of a deceased maiden who departed from life prematurely. Buckles are a basic, yet wholly necessary, creation of civilized societies. They both serve a practical, functional purpose, yet also decorate and adorn the very garments they are meant to hold in place. This buckle is a reminder of the Byzantine era where Christianity first triumphed over the lands of Europe and the Near East.