Bracteate

Art Historical Context

Nestled in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Medieval collection, this delicate *Bracteate* is a testament to Frankish craftsmanship from the 6th–7th. Crafted from copper alloy and coated with thin layer of gold, measures just 1 9/16 x 1/16 inches—small enough to wear as a pendant or brooch. Donated by J. Pierpont Morgan in1917, it exemplifies the exquisite metalwork of early medieval. Bracteates like this one were prized personal ornaments in Frankish society, a powerful Germanic kingdom that dominated much of western Europe after the fall of Rome. Often suspended from necklaces, they served ...