Disk Brooch

Art Historical Context

This exquisite Disk Brooch, crafted by an unknown Frankish artisan around 500–600 CE, offers a glimpse into the opulent world of Merovingian Europe. The Franks, who rose to prominence in what is now France and Germany produced jewelry like this as both practical fasteners for cloaks and symbols of wealth and status. just 1 5/16 x 3/8 inches, its petite scale belies its grandeur, embodying the portable luxury of early medieval personal adornment. Forged with a copper alloy core and sheathed in shimmering gold, the brooch showcases sophisticated metalworking techniques. Delicate gold wire likely forms decorative borders or motifs, while vibrant glass paste cabochons—polished, domed imitation gems—add color and sparkle, mimicking precious stones like garnets. This blend of materials highlights the Franks' mastery of cloisonné-style settings and their resourcefulness in using accessible yet dazzling alternatives to rare jewels. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Medieval Art department as a gift from J. Pierpont Morgan in 1917, this brooch illuminates the cultural exchanges and craftsmanship of the Migration Period. It reminds us how everyday objects carried profound social meaning, bridging the fall of Rome and the dawn of the Middle Ages.