Buckle Loop and Tongue
Unknown Artist
7th century
Medium
Silver
Dimensions
Overall: 1 1/16 x 13/16 x 5/16 in. (2.7 x 2 x 0.8 cm)
Classification
Metalwork-Silver
Culture
Byzantine
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917
Accession Number
17.191.195
Art Historical Context
This delicate silver buckle loop and tongue crafted in the 7th century by an Byzantine artisan, exemplifies the refined metalwork of the early medieval period. Measuring just 1 1/16 x 13/16 x 5/16 inches, its petite scale belies the precision required to shape and polish silver into a functional yet elegant fastener. Likely part of a belt or garment closure, such objects were everyday essentials that showcased the wearer's status through subtle luxury. In the Byzantine Empire—spanning the eastern Mediterranean and known for its blend of Roman engineering and Christian symbolism—the 7th centur...