Bell Beaker
Unknown Artist
6th–7th century
Medium
Glass
Dimensions
Overall: 4 1/4 x 2 3/4 in. (10.8 x 7 cm)
Classification
Glass-Vessels
Culture
Frankish
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917
Accession Number
17.193.344
Art Historical Context
This delicate Bell Beaker, crafted by an unknown Frankish artisan in the 6th–7th, exemplifies the refined glassmaking traditions of early medieval Europe. Standing just 4¼ x 2¾ inches, its bell-shaped form suggests it served as a personal drinking vessel, perfect for the elite tables of the Merovingian Franks—rulers who dominated Gaul (modern France) after the fall of Rome. Made of glass, a material prized for its clarity and luster, this piece highlights the continuity of Roman glassblowing techniques adapted by Frankish workshops. Glass vessels like this beaker were not everyday items; thei...