Plate of a Belt Buckle
Unknown Artist
6th–7th century
Medium
Iron, silver, brass
Dimensions
Overall: 1 5/8 x 1 9/16 x 5/16 in. (4.1 x 3.9 x 0.8 cm)
Classification
Metalwork-Iron
Culture
Frankish
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917
Accession Number
17.191.308
Art Historical Context
This delicate plate from a Frankish buckle, crafted in the 6th–7th century, exemplifies exquisite metalwork of early medieval Europe. Measuring just 1⅝ × 1⁹⁄₁₆ × ₅⁄₁₆ inches, it combines a sturdy iron base with overlays of silver and brass, creating a harmonious blend of durability and ornamentation. Such buckles were not mere fasteners but symbols of status, adorning belts that held swords, pouches, or tunics for warriors and elitesHailing from Frankish culture—associated with the Merovingian dynasty that dominated Gaul (modern France and Germany)—this reflects a time of transition from late ...