Europe, Migration period / early Medieval period, ca. 5th to 8th century CE. A beautifully cast and shaped silver belt buckle with three studs of blue glass set onto raised silver settings on the face, presumably intended to look like cabochons. Areas of coppery patina on the back suggest that the silver face was once set over a piece of bronze to give it weight. The surface ornamentation is abstract, with what appears to be a double-headed eagle motif near the ring end. The center features a series of concentric ovals. Perhaps the end that is missing also had a double-headed avian design to give it symmetry, which was an important artistic desire in this period. Attached to the bird end by a narrow silver pin is an oval ring and thickset prong. Comes with custom stand. Size: 3" L x 1.5" H (7.6 cm x 3.8 cm); height on stand: 2.6" (6.6 cm).

The style of decoration used here is sometimes called Kerbschnitt, or chip carving, and works of this type use geometric patterns and stylized animal heads or other zoomorphic motifs on wood, clay, and metal. Migration Period brooches, scabbards, and drinking horn fittings are also frequently decorated like this. Belts like this one were a continuation of a popular Roman item, and were used widely across Europe: in Scandinavia, central Europe, the area around the Danube, and on the shores of the Black Sea. Many of them were used by women to belt the ankle-length garments that they wore along with a cloak secured by a brooch.

See a very similar Metropolitan Museum of Art example (95.15.100a) from the Crimea, and several similar ones from the Walters Museum of Art, Baltimore: http://art.thewalters.org/browse/location/migration-and-early-medieval-art/?page=0

Provenance: private New Jersey USA collection, acquired over twenty years ago

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#121622

Piece is a fragment, with some losses to form as shown; hinge is functional but pin is very loose. Pale green patina on back (discussed above). Very slight deformation to form.