Goblet and Cover (?)
Unknown Artist
700s
Medium
Gold
Dimensions
a only: 6 5/8 × 4 3/4 in., 13.439 Troy Ounces (16.8 × 12.1 cm, 418g) b only: 1.993 Troy Ounces (62g)
Classification
Metalwork-Gold
Culture
Avar or Byzantine
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917
Accession Number
17.190.1711a, b
Art Historical Context
This exquisite gold goblet and cover dating to the 700s, hails from Avar or Byzantine culture, reflecting the opulent metalworking traditions of early medieval Eastern Europe and the Byzantine Empire. Standing about 6⅝ inches tall with its cover, the vessel weighs a substantial 13.4 Troy ounces for the gob alone, underscoring its creation as a luxury item likely reserved for elite ceremonies royal banquets. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Art department, it was generously gifted by J. Pierpont Morgan in 7. Crafted from pure gold, this artifact exemplifies the advanced goldsmithing ...