Fragment
Unknown Artist
ca. 1150–ca. 1250
Medium
Glass, ceramic
Dimensions
greatest H. 3 1/4 in. (8.3 cm); smallest H. 3/4 in. (1.9 cm)
Classification
Glass-Vessels
Culture
European or Middle Eastern
Department
Arms and Armor
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Clarence H. Mackay, Archer M. Huntington, Stephen H. P. Pell and Bashford Dean, 1928
Accession Number
28.99.562
Art Historical Context
This delicate set of fragments, dating to around 1150–1250, offers a glimpse into medieval craftsmanship from either Europe or the Middle East. Titled simply *Fragment*, these small pieces—ranging from ¾ inch to 3¼ inches in height—likely once formed part of glass vessels, as classified by the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Their presence in the Arms and Armor Department hints at possible use in decorative contexts, such as inlays, beads, or gaming pieces associated with elite warrior culture during the Crusades era, when East-West trade flourished along Silk Road routes. Crafted from glass and ...