Belt Plate
Unknown Artist
7th century
Medium
Iron, silver inlay
Dimensions
Overall: 4 3/16 x 2 1/4 x 1/4 in. (10.7 x 5.7 x 0.6 cm)
Classification
Metalwork-Iron
Culture
Frankish or Burgundian
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917
Accession Number
17.191.340
Art Historical Context
This exquisite 7th-century belt, crafted from iron with delicate silver inlay, offers a glimpse into the material culture of the Frankish or Burgundian in early medieval Europe. Measuring just 4 3/16 x 2 1/4 inches, this small yet striking piece from the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Medieval Art collection a functional accessory—likely part of a warrior's or noble's belt—highlighting everyday luxury amid the post-Roman world. Dating to the Merovingian era when Frankish kingdoms dominated much of western Europe, such metalwork reflects the fusion of Germanic traditions and Roman influences. Be...