Hairpin

Art Historical Context

Step into the world of 7th-century Frankish with this exquisite gold hairpin, a delicate from the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Medieval Art collection. Measuring just over 5 inches long, this slender adornment—crafted from pure gold—likely served as both a practical hair fastener and a symbol of status for elite women in the Meroving Frankish kingdom. The Franks, a powerful Germanic people who dominated much of early medieval Europe under kings like Clovis and his successors, prized such personal luxury items, blending everyday utility with opulent display. As a prime example of Frankish meta...