Equal-Arm Brooch
Unknown Artist
ca. 650–750
Medium
Copper alloy
Dimensions
Overall: 1 1/8 x 9/16 x 3/16 in. (2.9 x 1.5 x 0.5 cm)
Classification
Metalwork-Copper alloy
Culture
Frankish
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917
Accession Number
17.193.292
Art Historical Context
This delicate Equal-Arm Brooch crafted by an unknown Frankish artisan around 650–750 CE, the refined metalworking of early medieval Europe. just 1 1/8 x 9/16 x 3/16 inches, its symmetrical design—hallmark of the "equal-arm"—features two mirror-image arms converging at a pin mechanism, ideal for fastening cloaks or garments. Fashioned from copper alloy, a durable and accessible material, it highlights the Franks' skill in casting and shaping metals for both function and subtle ornamentation. Hailing from the Merovingian era, when the Franks dominated much of Western Europe, this brooch offers ...