Pendant
Unknown Artist
6th–7th century
Medium
Gold
Dimensions
Overall: 1 x 13/16 x 3/8 in., 0.1oz. (2.6 x 2 x 0.9 cm, 4g)
Classification
Metalwork-Gold
Culture
Langobardic
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917
Accession Number
17.191.30
Art Historical Context
This delicate gold pendant, crafted by an unknown Langobardic artisan in the 6th–7th century, exemplifies the metalwork of early medieval Europe. Measuring just 1 x 13/16 x 3/8 inches and weighing a mere 0.1 ounce, its petite scale belies its luxurious material—pure gold, symbolizing wealth and status among the Lombards, a Germanic people who established a kingdom in Italy after migrating from the north around 568 CE. As part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Medieval collection, it was generously gifted by J. Pierpont Morgan in 1917, highlighting its enduring allure. Langobardic goldsmiths...