Gold Earring with Pearls and Sapphires
Unknown Artist
6th–7th century
Medium
Gold, sapphire, pearls
Dimensions
Overall: 2 3/8 x 15/16 x 1/2 in. (6.1 x 2.4 x 1.2 cm) w/o hook: 1 9/16 x 15/16 x 3/8 in. (4 x 2.4 x 0.9 cm) Wt.: 12g
Classification
Metalwork-Gold
Culture
Byzantine
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917
Accession Number
17.190.145
Art Historical Context
This exquisite Gold Earring with Pearls and Sapph, crafted in the 6th–7th century during the height of the Byzantine Empire, the era's unparalleled mastery of luxury metalwork. Fashioned from gleaming gold adorned with lustrous pearls and vibrant sapphires, the piece measures just over 2 inches in height and weighs a delicate 12 grams. Its intricate design, complete with a hook for wear, reflects the technical sophistication of Byzantine goldsmiths, who often employed techniques like filigree and granulation to create jewelry that shimmered with imperial splendor. In Byzantine culture, such e...