Flat Needle
Unknown Artist
5th–7th century (?)
Medium
Iron
Dimensions
Overall: 1 7/8 x 1/4 x 1/16 in. (4.8 x 0.6 x 0.1 cm)
Classification
Metalwork-Iron
Culture
Frankish
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917
Accession Number
17.193.65
Art Historical Context
Nestled in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Medieval collection, *Flat Needle* is a iron artifact from the Frankish culture, dating to the 5th–7th century. Measuring just 1 7/8 x 1/4 x 1/16 inches, this slender, flat tool exemplifies the precision of early medieval metalworking. Forged from iron—a durable material prized for its strength—this needle was likely used for sewing textiles, mending clothing, or crafting leather goods, offering a glimpse into the everyday ingenuity of Frankish life. During the Merovingian period, when the Franks dominated much of western Europe, such humble objects...