Openwork Belt Fitting
Unknown Artist
7th century (?)
Medium
Copper alloy, "tinned" surface
Dimensions
Overall: 2 13/16 x 1/16 in. (7.2 x 0.2 cm)
Classification
Metalwork-Copper alloy
Culture
Frankish
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917
Accession Number
17.191.254
Art Historical Context
This delicate **Openwork Belt Fitting**, crafted by an unknown Frankish artisan in the 7th century (?), exemplifies the refined metalworking skills of early medieval Europe. Belonging to the Merovingian period, when the Franks dominated much of Gaul (modern France and Germany), such fittings adorned belts that were essential accessories for both men and women, signaling social status and personal style. Donated to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1917 by J. Pierpont Morgan, this tiny piece—measuring just 2 13/16 x 1/16 inches—offers a glimpse into the daily lives of Frankish elites amid the t...