Belt Buckle Loop
Unknown Artist
4th–7th century
Medium
Iron, silver inlay
Dimensions
Overall (attached together with x.209.28, .32): 5 11/16 x 2 3/4 x 11/16 in. (14.5 x 7 x 1.8 cm) Overall (loop only): 2 3/4 x 1 9/16 x 1/2 in. (7 x 4 x 1.3 cm)
Classification
Metalwork-Iron
Culture
Frankish
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Museum Accession
Accession Number
X.209.32
Art Historical Context
This exquisite Belt Buckle Loop, crafted by an unknown Frankish artisan between the 4th and 7th centuries, exemplifies the masterful metalwork of early medieval Europe. Made of iron with intricate silver inlay, it measures about 2¾ x 1½ ½ inches and was likely part of a larger belt ensemble (displayed here with related pieces). Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Medieval Art Department, it reflects the Frankish people's rise during the Migration Period, as they transitioned from tribal warriors to rulers of a vast kingdom under leaders like Clovis. In Frankish culture, belt buckles we...