Notes on Selected Recent Acquisitions of Byzantine

Jewellery at the British Museum1

Chris Entwistle

The Department of Prehistory and Europe in the British Museum houses one of the largest known collections of Byzantine
jewellery, numbering over 750 items. The collection underwent two major periods of expansion: in the late 19th century when
it benefited in particular from the collecting activities of one of the Museum’s principal Victorian characters, Sir Augustus
Wollaston Franks, and in the last decades of the 20th century. This second collection phase reflected the diverse amount of
interesting material available on the London market at the time combined with available funding. Much stricter acquisition
regulations concerning provenance are now applied by the museum, meaning that the collection at present is essentially static.
The 50 objects selected here are intended to give a flavour of the purchases made during the 1980s and early 1990s.

Belt-fittings 2 incised with two foliate motifs. Further

examples of gold and silver buckles decorated
as twin trefoils, the top edge deeply incised
with ‘dot and comma’ ornament. The tongue
with block or cruciform monograms include, is hollow-cast, punched on the top in a fret
inter alia, one said to have been found at design and under the tip of its tongue with
Gold Latakia, Syria, now in the Dumbarton Oaks a craftsman’s (?) mark. The hinge consists
Collection, Washington DC,5 one purportedly of five rings, the two outer ones attached to
1. Gold buckle from near Hamah, Syria, in the Walters Art the plate, two attached to the loop, and an
Byzantine, 7th century Museum, Baltimore,6 and a final example in inner ‘double ring’ being part of the tongue,
L. 44mm, W. 19mm, Wt 16.10g the Benaki Museum, Athens.7 all threaded on a gold pin; near the hinge, the
Reg. no. PE 1974,9-10,1 The decoration under the tip of the tongue, plate is chip-carved in an engrailed design
composed of crescents, triangles and dots, in the ‘dot and comma’ motif. The rest of the
is intriguing. It can have served no obvious plate is embossed with a Latin cross, the head
decorative function being invisible to the and arms scalloped and the foot terminating
viewer and it may well represent either in a roundel; the decoration, stamped from
a craftsman’s or a workshop mark. How either side, consists of concentric punch-
common or not a feature this is on 7th-century marks with rosette bosses in the corners of
buckles is hard to tell given that the reverses the cross, at the intersection of the arms and
of published buckles are unfortunately rarely in the centre of the roundel at the foot. The
illustrated. It is not, however, a unique feature plate has a side running all round it, but no
to this buckle as exemplified by analagous back plate was ever fitted; on the reverse, four
motifs on a further buckle in the Museum’s attachment lugs.
collection (see the next example) and others Although numerous copper-alloy buckles
in the Dumbarton Oaks Collection,8 the with cruciform plates have survived,13 I know
Walters Art Museum,9 the Archäologische of no examples made of gold. The closest
Staatssammlung, Munich,10 the Byzantine parallel to this buckle is one in the Dumbarton
and Christian Museum, Athens,11 and the Oaks Collection, Washington DC,14 which
Stathatos Collection, now in the National replicates the shape of the tongue and loop,
Gold buckle with lyre-shaped plate joined by Archaeological Museum, Athens.12 the construction of the hinge, the use of a fret
a hinge to both tongue and loop. The ovoid design on the top of the tongue and, on the
loop, which has a moulded tongue-rest, is Unpublished. loop, of the ‘dot and comma’ ornament. The
engraved with geometric ornament; the decorative technique of the plate is also very
tongue is hollow-cast and has a basal cube 2. Gold buckle similar with its concentric punch-marks and
engraved with similar ornament, which is Constantinople (?), 7th century bosses stamped from behind and an identical
replicated beneath the tip of the tongue and L. 98mm, W. 39mm, Wt 52g chip-carved engrailed design. A final
the reverse of the loop. The hinge consists Reg. no. PE 1980,7-8,1 analogous feature is the use of the leaf-shaped
of five rings, the two outer ones attached to motif under the tip of the tongue, which is so
the plate, two attached to the loop and one close as to suggest that the two buckles may
to the tongue, all threaded on a gold pin. have been made in the same workshop. The
The plate has a circular terminal ending in a Dumbarton Oaks buckle was said to have
knop, the terminal deeply engraved with a come from a small treasure consisting of a
cruciform monogram resolving as ΑΓΑΠΙΟΥ necklace, a pendant cross, a bracelet, a pair
(‘of Agapios’); the rest of the plate is engraved of earrings, and a gold and niello marriage
with a symmetrical geometric design; three ring, all probably dating on stylistic grounds
attachment lugs on the reverse, one damaged. to the first half of the 7th century. The British
This is a variant (with movable plate) Museum buckle also shares certain technical
of Schulze-Dörrlamm’s Type D15.3 A not features with another gold buckle in the
dissimilar buckle, found at Selinos in Crete, Dumbarton Oaks Collection, this of Werner’s
is in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford.4 Like Type ‘Trebizond’, which was said to have been
the Museum’s example, it too has a lyre- found with two solidi of Heraclius from the
shaped plate, a basal cube on the tongue with mint of Constantinople (613–30).15
engraved decoration, and a round terminal
decorated with a cruciform monogram Gold buckle with cruciform plate joined by Published: Cormack and Vassilaki (n. 11), no.
possibly resolving as ‘of Kassianos’; the centre a hinge to both tongue and loop. The loop 132, 179 and 412.
of the plate differs, however, in being roughly consists of eight scallops, visible from above

20 | ‘Intelligible Beauty’
 Notes on Selected Recent Acquisitions of Byzantine Jewellery at the British Museum

3. Gold strap end

Byzantine, 7th century
L. 30mm, W. 24mm, Wt 7.60g
Reg. no. PE 1982,5-7,1

Silver buckle with ovoid loop and moulded

tongue-rest; the tongue-shaped plate is
engraved with a symmetrical foliate motif;
pierced at the base of the plate; on the reverse,
Gold mount of thin sheet, shield-shaped two attachment lugs.
(now badly buckled), with down-turned The highly stylised symmetrical foliate
edges; punched ‘dot and comma’ and other motif with scroll-like terminals is reminiscent
geometric ornament beneath a line across the of the ornament found on some of the
top; on the reverse, two attachment lugs. brooches and belt-fittings from Martynivka,
Mounts of this simple form and some of the horse-fittings and belt-tabs from
construction are known from, inter alia, the Nocera Umbra, and on some of the belt-tabs
Crimea,20 Syria,21 Italy22 and Hungary,23 and from Kiskőrös and Kunágota in Hungary.24
are too numerous to list here.
Unpublished.
Unpublished.

5. Gold strap end

Byzantine, 7th century
Copper-alloy
L. 43.2, W. 21mm, Wt 9.75g
Reg. no. PE 1986,10-1,1 7. Gilded copper-alloy buckle-plate
Byzantine, 7th century
L. 70.5mm, W. 28.3mm
Gold strap end of hollow-box construction, Reg. no. PE 1984,10-4,1
shield-shaped, with rounded end, straight
sides, and an aperture for the strap. The front
is decorated with a heart-shaped motif with
punched geometric ornament, including the
‘dot and comma’ design, above and below; the
border is embossed and chased in imitation of
swaged wire and granulation. On the back is a
central vegetal motif with further geometric
ornament.
Similar pieces are known from the Mersin
treasure in Turkey16 and from near Naples in
Italy17 to name but a few. Particularly close
parallels for the geometric ornament can
be seen on belt-fittings from Kunágota and
Ozora-Tótipuszta in Hungary.18 The form
was also imitated in bronze.19 This and the Gold strap-end of hollow box construction
with openwork head-plate, straight sides Gilded copper-alloy buckle-plate with waisted
following two examples probably belonged to profile and two hinges at the top and a small
composite belt-sets. and a vesica-shaped foot; the strap held in
place by two rivets, one now missing; the projecting knop at the bottom. The plate
centre of the plate decorated with a stylised is decorated with the figure of a crocodile
Published: Andrási (n. 17), 74–5, fig. 10; enclosed by three contiguous borders: the
Cormack and Vassilaki (n. 11), no. 133, 179 and symmetrical foliate motif enclosed by
engraved and punched ‘dot and comma’ and outer imitating square-toothed wire, the
412.9. middle in the form of a debased herring-bone
other geometric ornament. On the reverse is
an elongated double-lobed opening. pattern, and the inner in the form of a snake’s
4. Gold mount body terminating in two snakes’ heads. At
Byzantine, late 6th–7th century the head of the plate, chip-carved decoration
L . 18mm, W. 17mm, Wt 2.69g Published: Andrási (n. 17), 74, no. 1, fig. 9.
possibly representing two confronted
Reg. no. PE 1985,3-4,18 quadrupeds; on the reverse, three attachment
lugs.
Silver This belongs to Werner’s Type
‘Trebizond’,25 with examples known in both
6. Silver buckle gold26 and bronze.27 An example of the former,
Byzantine, 7th century now in the Dumbarton Oaks Collection, is
L. 42.8mm, 21.2mm decorated with a sea-monster instead of a
Reg. no. PE 1993,6-1,1 crocodile; it was found with two solidi of
Heraclius.28

Unpublished.

8. Copper-alloy buckle-plate
Byzantine, c. 650–750
Said to have been found in Sicily.
L. 42mm, W. 25mm
Reg. no. PE 1991,12-8,2

‘Intelligible Beauty’ | 21
Entwistle

Werner’s Type ‘Sucidava’. Its distribution is Copper-alloy buckle with ovoid loop
largely restricted to the Crimea and Romania, with tongue-rest and lyre-shaped plate
although examples from Macedonia40 and terminating in a roundel engraved with a
Egypt41 are also known. cruciform monogram resolving as ΓΕωΡΓΙΟΥ
(‘of Georgios’); the tongue missing; on the
Unpublished. reverse, two attachment lugs, one broken.
This belongs to Schulze-Dörrlamm’s Type
10. Copper-alloy buckle D15.43 An identical example is known from S.
Byzantine, late 6th –early 7th century Mauro Sotto (Caltagirone) in Sicily.44 Other
L. 52.2mm, W. 29.5mm examples of this type, but with different
Reg. no. PE 1984,10-4,2 cruciform monograms, are known from
Athens,45 Medinet-el-Fayum in Egypt,46 the
shipwreck at Yassi Ada off the south-western
coast of Turkey,47 the Ulukōy-Hacolar region,
Afyon, also in Turkey,48 and from Szekszárd-
Bogyiszlói in Hungary.49

Unpublished.
Copper-alloy buckle-plate with two hinge-
12. Copper-alloy buckle
loops and an openwork, sub-triangular plate
Byzantine, late 6th - middle of 7th century
terminating in a medallion; the medallion
L. 42.2mm, W. 24.5mm
engraved with a seated (?) figure at left
Reg. no. PE 1980,11-6,6
apparently blessing a smaller figure at right;
in the field, two crosses; on the reverse, three
attachment lugs.
This belongs to Werner’s Type ‘Corinth’
and Csallány’s Group 7,29 which enjoyed
a wide geographical distribution with
examples found in Spain,30 Sardinia and
mainland Italy,31 Sicily,32 Greece,33 Albania,34
Bosnia,35 Hungary,36 the Czech Republic,37
the Crimea38 and Turkey.39 The medallions on
Copper-alloy buckle with openwork plate and
these buckles are variously decorated with
ovoid hoop with moulded tongue-rest; the
chevrons, crosses, cruciform monograms,
tongue, which has a basal cube, is threaded
ring and dot motifs, or diminutive figures, the
through a hole at the top of the plate; the plate
latter in some instances perhaps representing
engraved with simple geometric decoration;
a stylised Annunciation.
on the reverse, three attachment lugs, two of
which are broken.
Unpublished.
This appears to be a slight variant of
Schulze-Dörrlamm’s Types D7 and D8,
9. Copper-alloy buckle
examples of which are known from Egypt,
Byzantine, 6th–early 7th century
the Crimea, Morocco and Spain.42 Although
L. 53.8mm, W. 32.3mm
sharing the same form of hoop, tongue, plate, Copper-alloy buckle with cruciform plate,
Reg. no. PE 1989,4-2,1
and engraved ornament resembling hatching, ovoid loop with tongue-rest, and tongue with
they differ from the Museum’s example in basal cube; the plate decorated with ring and
the openwork designs of their plates which dot ornament; two attachment lugs on the
form either a cross or a vertical bar with two reverse.
internal volutes. This buckle is a slightly larger variant of
Schulze-Dörrlamm’s Type D22, a type which
Unpublished. enjoyed a wide distribution throughout the
Mediterranean and its hinterlands with
11. Copper-alloy buckle particular concentrations in the Crimea and
Byzantine, c. 600–50 Asia Minor.50
L. 42mm, W. 23mm
Reg. no. PE 1980,11-6,5 Unpublished.

13. Copper-alloy buckle-plate

Sicily (?), second half of 7th century - early 8th
century
H. 29.5mm, W. 42mm
Reg. no. 1983,10-1,12

Copper-alloy buckle with trapezoidal loop

and a tongue-shaped plate with an openwork
face-mask design; the tongue, which has a
basal rectangle, is threaded through a hole at
the top of the plate and fused to the top of the
loop; on the reverse, three broken attachment
lugs.
This buckle belongs to Schulze-
Dörrlamm’s Type D2, a slight variant of

22 | ‘Intelligible Beauty’
 Notes on Selected Recent Acquisitions of Byzantine Jewellery at the British Museum

Copper-alloy buckle-plate with two hinge- Copper-alloy buckle-plate with two hinge-
loops and a plate of insect-like form with loops each with the remains of a corroded pin;
Copper-alloy buckle-plate with two hinge- knobbed terminal, punched wing-like the plate of insect-like form with wing-like
loops; the U-shaped plate cast and punched in mouldings and ring and dot ‘eyes’; on the mouldings and ring and dot ‘eyes’; on the
low relief with a lion with frontal head to left; reverse, three attachment lugs. reverse, three attachment lugs.
on the reverse, three attachment lugs, one of This and the following six examples all
which is broken. have plates which have been described in the Unpublished.
A number of similar examples have been literature as ‘insect-like’, with the degree of
found at Cava Ipsica, Comiso and Syracuse in stylisation more pronounced the smaller the 18. Copper-alloy buckle-plate
Sicily.51 A slight variant of this type, showing plates become. Their distribution seems to Sicily (?), 7th century
a lion fighting another animal, is known from be almost entirely restricted to the western Said to have been found in Sicily.
Corinth.52 and central Mediterranean, namely Spain,53 L. 37.8mm, W. 16.5mm
Italy54 and Sicily.55 Reg. no. PE 1995,11-7,3
Unpublished.
Unpublished.
14. Copper-alloy buckle-plate
Sicily (?), second half of 7th century–early 8th 16. Copper-alloy buckle-plate
century Sicily (?), 7th century
L. 41mm, W. 28mm Said to have been found in Sicily.
Reg. no. PE 1991,12-8,1 L. 51.5mm, W. 26.5mm
Reg. no. PE 1995,11-7,1

Copper-alloy buckle-plate with two broken

hinge-loops and a plate of insect-like
form with a knobbed terminal, wing-like
mouldings and ring and dot ‘eyes’; on the
reverse, three attachment lugs.

Unpublished.

19. Copper-alloy buckle-plate

Sicily (?), 7th century
Said to have been found in Sicily.
L. 38mm, W. 18mm
Copper-alloy buckle-plate with two hinge- Reg. no. 1995,11-7,4
loops and a plate of insect-like form with
knobbed terminal, wing-like mouldings
Copper-alloy buckle-plate with two hinge- and ring and dot ‘eyes’; on the reverse, three
loops; the U-shaped plate cast and punched in attachment lugs.
low relief with a lion with frontal head to left;
the side-plate engraved with linear ornament; Unpublished.
on the reverse, three attachment lugs.
17. Copper-alloy buckle-plate
Unpublished. Sicily (?), 7th century
Said to have been found in Sicily.
15. Copper-alloy buckle-plate L. 41.9mm, W. 26.5mm
Sicily (?), 7th century Reg. no. 1995,11-7,2
L. 50mm, W. 26.3mm
Reg. no. PE 1990,6-4,9

Copper-alloy buckle-plate with two hinge-

loops, one of which is broken, and a plate of
insect-like form with a knobbed terminal,
wing-like mouldings and ring and dot ‘eyes’;
on the reverse, three attachment lugs.

Unpublished.

‘Intelligible Beauty’ | 23
Entwistle

20. Copper-alloy buckle-plate

Sicily (?), 7th century
Said to have been found in Sicily.
L. 37.50mm, W. 18mm
Reg. no. 1995,11-7,5

Copper-alloy buckle-plate with two hinge-

loops with the remains of a corroded pin and Copper-alloy buckle-plate almost identical to
a U-shaped plate; engraved and punched no. 23, but with both hinge-loops and one of
with the figure of a stylised bird to left; on the the attachment lugs broken.
reverse, three attachment lugs.
Copper-alloy buckle-plate with two broken Buckles of this form and stylised animal Unpublished.
hinge-loops and a plate of insect-like decoration have predominantly been found
form with a knobbed terminal, wing-like in the western Mediterranean, in particular 25. Copper-alloy buckle-plate
mouldings and ring and dot ‘eyes’; on the Sicily56 and Italy,57 although examples from Sicily (?), second half of 7th–early 8th century
reverse, three attachment lugs. Greece are also known.58 H. 23mm, W. 36mm
Reg. no. PE 1991,1-2,4
Unpublished. Unpublished.

21. Copper-alloy buckle-plate 23. Copper-alloy buckle-plate

Sicily (?), 7th century Sicily (?), second half of 7th–early 8th century
Said to have been found in Sicily. H. 23mm, W. 35.5mm
L. 31.50mm, W. 17.50mm Reg. no. PE 1991,1-2,2
Reg. no. 1995,11-7,6

Copper-alloy buckle-plate with two hinge-

loops with the remains of a corroded pin and
a U-shaped plate; punched and engraved with
an eight-pointed star; on the reverse, three
attachment lugs.
Copper-alloy buckle-plate with two hinge- Similar examples are known from
loops with the remains of a pin and a plate Cotominello, San Mauro Sotto and Centuripe,
of insect-like form with a knobbed terminal, Copper-alloy buckle-plate with one intact all in Sicily.61
wing-like mouldings and ring and dot ‘eyes’; hinge-loop and a U-shaped plate; engraved
on the reverse, three attachment lugs, one and punched with the figure of a stylised Unpublished.
broken. animal (a lion ?) to left; on the reverse, three
attachment lugs. 26. Copper-alloy buckle-plate
Unpublished. Like the previous example, buckles of this Sicily (?), second half of 7th–early 8th century
type tend to have been found in either Sicily59 H. 22.5mm, W. 34mm
22. Copper-alloy buckle-plate or southern Italy.60 Reg. no. PE 1991,1-2,5
Sicily (?), second half of 7th–early 8th century
H. 22mm, W. 34.5mm Unpublished.
Reg. no. PE 1991,1-2,1
24. Copper-alloy buckle-plate
Sicily (?), second half of 7th–early 8th century
H. 22mm, W. 32mm
Reg. no. PE 1991,1-2,3

24 | ‘Intelligible Beauty’
 Notes on Selected Recent Acquisitions of Byzantine Jewellery at the British Museum

30. Copper-alloy buckle

Byzantine, second half of 7th–early 8th
century
L. 56mm, W. 26mm
Reg. no. PE 1985,10-10,1

Copper-alloy buckle-plate almost identical to

no. 25, but one of the hinge-loops and one of
the attachment lugs broken.

Unpublished.

27. Copper-alloy reliquary buckle

Sicily (?), 7th century
L. 25mm, W. 61.5mm, H. 16.2mm
Reg. no. PE 1991,6-2,1 Copper-alloy buckle-plate with four hinge-
loops and intact pin; the plate engraved with
a circle enclosing a Latin monogram; between
the monogram and hinge, two foliate scrolls; Copper-alloy buckle with ovoid loop with
on the reverse, three broken attachment lugs. moulded tongue-rest and a sub-triangular
This buckle belongs to Type ‘Hippo openwork plate terminating in an oval
Regius’ whose distribution is concentrated medallion engraved with a cross; at the
in the central Mediterranean.64 The closest junction of the plate and medallion, two
example to it is in a private collection in pierced projections resembling stylised birds’
Munich which differs, however, in having the heads in profile; the plate engraved and
inscription ΦωC/ΖωH (‘Light, life) instead punched with circles and triangles; the loop,
of a monogram.65 An Italian provenance is which is attached to the plate by two hinges, is
suggested by the form of monogram which bent almost at a right angle to the plate; on the
closely resembles those found on the coinage reverse, two attachment lugs, one broken.
of the Vandalic and Ostrogothic kings.66 An almost identical example is known
from Palmyra in Syria67 and a slight variant
Unpublished. from Jerash in Jordan.68

29. Copper-alloy mount Unpublished.

Byzantine, 4th century
H. 34.8mm, W. 39.2mm 31. Gilded copper-alloy buckle
Reg. no. 1980,11-6,7 Byzantine, 6th–7th century (?)
Copper-alloy reliquary buckle with long L. 48.5mm, W. 22.2mm
rectangular body with rounded end; Reg. no. PE 1985,10-10,2
engraved on the front with two confronted
quadrupeds; on the side-plate, further linear
ornament; below the rim of the base a deep
groove into which the missing back-plate
would have fitted; each of the two hinge-loops
has the remains of a corroded pin.
Like the preceding five examples this type
of buckle seems to be almost exclusively a
western Mediterranean type. It is typified by
its deep long narrow body; either the front or
the back could slide back to reveal the cavity
for the relic. A rough terminus post quem for
this type is provided by an analogous example
in a private collection in Munich where the
second animal is replaced by a cruciform
monogram, invoking ‘Theotokos, protect’,
suggesting a date of not before the middle of
the 6th century.62 A not dissimilar example is Gilded copper-alloy buckle with ovoid loop
from Prizzi in Sicily.63 with tongue-rest and a sub- pear-shaped plate
engraved with a debased symmetrical foliate
Unpublished. motif; the tongue is threaded through a hole
at the top of the plate; on the reverse, two
28. Copper-alloy buckle-plate attachment lugs.
Italy (?), 6th–7th century
L. 32.3mm, W. 22mm Copper-alloy mount in the form of a central Unpublished.
Reg. no. 1991,10-7,1 openwork chi-rho attached to two rectangular
openwork elements, each of which terminate
in symmetrical vegetal motifs and attachment
rings.

Unpublished.

‘Intelligible Beauty’ | 25
Entwistle

32. Copper-alloy buckle 34. Gilded copper-alloy buckle fragment Gilded copper-alloy mount; shield-shaped
Byzantine, 7th century Byzantine, 7th century with angled profile; engraved and punched
L. 75mm, W. 28.3mm Max. D. 31.8mm on the face with a stylised vase surrounded
Reg. no. PE 1990,7-2,1 Reg. no. PE 1990,10-4,1 by ‘dot and comma’ ornament; on the reverse,
two attachment lugs, one broken.
The vase-like motif, juxtaposed with
‘dot and comma’ ornament can be roughly
paralleled on a buckle from grave 21a in
the cemetery at Bóly and on another belt-
fitting from grave 59 at Szeged-Csengele-
Feketehalom, both in Hungary.76

Unpublished.

36. Copper-alloy buckle-plate

Byzantine, 7th century
From Sicily.
L. 28mm, W. 19mm
Copper-alloy buckle with ovoid loop Reg. no. PE 1995,11-7,8
with moulded tongue-rest and the plate
terminating in a medallion with a prominent
knop; the tongue, which has a basal rectangle,
is attached to the plate by a hinge composed of
five loops; the medallion is cast and engraved
with a wolf biting a horned animal; between
the hinge and medallion, two stylised human
faces; on the reverse, three attachment lugs.
I know of no exact parallels, but the
arrangement of two stylised faces can be
seen on Visigothic buckles from Spain.69 The
type would seem to be a variant of a complete
version of no. 34, where the busts of Peter and
Paul have become extremely stylised.70 Gilded copper-alloy buckle fragment in the
form of a medallion with a knop; embossed
Unpublished. and engraved with a frontal bust of Christ
with a cruciform nimbus, holding a book in
33. Gilded copper-alloy buckle-plate his right hand, and with his left emerging
Byzantine, 7th century from his robe in a gesture of benediction; Copper-alloy buckle plate in the form of an
L. 40.2 mm, W. 22.3mm around, a border imitating beaded wire. openwork heart with a projecting knop at
Reg. no. PE 1990,7-2,2 Buckles with similar busts of Christ, but its base; there are two hinge-loops with the
with two additional busts (the apostles Peter remains of a pin and two attachment lugs on
and Paul?), are in the Walters Art Museum,73 the reverse.
a private collection in Munich,74 and the This belongs to Werner’s Type ‘Bologna’.77
Studium Biblicum Franciscanum Museum in Examples are known from the Crimea,78
Jerusalem.75 Samos,79 Mount Nebo,80 Carthage,81 Corinth,82
Sicily,83 Sardinia,84 and mainland Italy.85
Unpublished.
Unpublished.
35. Gilded copper-alloy mount
Byzantine, 7th century 37. Copper-alloy buckle
From Cyprus Byzantine, 7th century
H. 24.5mm, W. 24.2mm From Sicily.
Reg. no. PE 1995,11-7,9 L. 49mm, W. 32mm
Reg. no. PE 1996,11-7,7

Gilded copper-alloy buckle-plate with two

hinge-rings and a sub-ovoid plate terminating
in a knop; the plate engraved with a
symmetrical geometric pattern and, near the
hinge-rings, with two lentoids and debased
‘dot and comma’ ornament; on the reverse,
three attachment lugs.
The closest, but by no means exact parallel,
is a gold buckle from the 7th-century Mytilene
treasure on Lesbos.71 A not dissimilar
bronze example was found in Grave 329 in
the cemetery at Kölked-Feketekapu A, in
Hungary.72

Unpublished.

26 | ‘Intelligible Beauty’
 Notes on Selected Recent Acquisitions of Byzantine Jewellery at the British Museum

38. Gold and glass necklace pendant 40. Gold and glass necklace pendant
Cyprus (?), 9th–10th century (?) Cyprus (?), 9th–10th century (?)
L. 46.5mm, W. 33.50mm, Wt 6.27g L. 48.2mm, W. 32.2mm, Wt 7.63g
Reg. no. PE 1981,5-5,1 Reg. no. PE 1981,5-5,3

Copper-alloy buckle, the tongue wanting; the

oval openwork hoop with a moulded, grooved
tongue-rest and a deep oblong depression
at its base with the remains of a fastening
pin for the tongue; the openwork plate with
two moulded projections and a rectangular
aperture through which the belt would have
been threaded. The deep sides of the buckle-
hoop have a slightly angled and rounded
profile; the sides of the buckle engraved and
pounced with stylised vegetal and geometric
ornament.

Unpublished.

Necklace pendants Gold openwork pendant, almond-shaped,

with a suspension loop of triple-ridged strip Gold openwork pendant, a pair to no. 39.
and a central glass bead. Twelve flattened
The following six objects, five pendants and hollow spheres are soldered between an outer Unpublished.
a clasp, were found on the Karpas peninsula border of corrugated strip set edgeways, and
in northern Cyprus shortly before the an inner border consisting of a running scroll 41. Gold and glass necklace pendant
First World War. Although the shape of the of closed S-shapes. The glass bead is drilled Cyprus (?), 9th–10th century (?)
pendants is by no means uncommon for the longitudinally and threaded on a gold wire L. 41mm, W. 27.5mm, Wt 4.83g
Early Byzantine period,86 they do share a which is soldered above and twisted below. Reg. no. PE 1981,5-5,4
number of unusual technical features which Three amorphous strips of gold are soldered
perhaps support a later date, in particular on either side of the upper sphere. Beaded
the different types and combinations of wire runs along the outside and the inside of
decorative wire employed, which include: the gold work.
beaded wire for the outer and inner borders
(nos 38–42); undulating strip set edgeways Published: Whitfield (n. 91), fig. 13; Ogden (n.
and a running scroll of closed S-shapes 91), fig. 3.
(no. 38); undulating strip set edgeways and
corrugated strip set facing (nos 39–40); and 39. Gold and glass necklace pendant
finally, corrugated strip set facing (nos 41 and Cyprus (?), 9th–10th century (?)
42). Both the undulating strip set edgeways L. 45.5mm, W. 32.2mm, Wt 7.27g
and the border of closed S-shaped scrolls Reg. no. PE 1981,5-5,2
can be paralleled on rings, earrings, and
necklace clasps normally dated to the 6th
and 7th centuries,87 although both types of
wire can equally be found on Carolingian
and Ottonian metalwork in the West and on
10th–12th century jewellery in the eastern
Mediterranean.88 The corrugated strip set Gold openwork pendant, almond-shaped,
facing is, however, much harder to parallel with a suspension loop of triple-ridged strip
and I know of only one comparable piece, a and two centrally threaded glass beads.
pendant in the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Ten flattened hollow spheres are soldered
in Kassel, which has been dated to the 5th between an outer border of gold strip and an
to 6th century.89 This date again may well inner border of corrugated strip set facing.
be too early as the technique (or variants Two glass beads, the larger one almond-
on it) are observable on both Western and shaped and opaque, the smaller spherical
Eastern objects dating from the 10th century and green, are drilled longitudinally and
onwards.90 A final feature which reinforces threaded on a gold wire soldered above and
the idea of a Middle Byzantine date for this twisted below. The upper sphere is partially
group is the drawing striations which can be masked on both sides by approximately
observed between the grooves of the beaded Gold openwork pendant similar to no. 38, circular strips of gold, and a similar strip
wire on no. 38, indicating that it is drawn with the exception that the inner running covers the upper end of the wire on which the
wire.91 scroll of closed S-shapes has been replaced by beads are threaded. Swaged wire runs around
corrugated strip set facing. the outside and the inside of the goldwork.

Unpublished. Unpublished.

‘Intelligible Beauty’ | 27
Entwistle

42. Gold and glass necklace pendant ever been soldered to its ends. Perhaps loops
Cyprus (?), 9th–10th century (?) for fastening were soldered along the body
L. 41mm, W. 26.5mm, Wt 4.34g of the cylinder, and the two damaged areas,
Reg. no. PE 1981,5-5,5 which are reasonably uniform, were created
when the loops were broken. If so this cylinder
may have functioned as an amulet case.96
Unpublished.

Jewellery hoard
The seven objects described below (nos
44–50) were understood by the vendor to
have been found together and the internal
stylistic and technical homogeneity of
the group would support this. Individual
objects are related by the techniques of
hollow-box construction (nos 44 and 45), of
chased and embossed opus interrasile (nos
Gold openwork pendant, a pair to no. 41, with 46 and 47), of butt-soldering (nos 44–46),
the exception that the two beads have been by the use of triple-ridged strip (nos 44, 45
replaced by an incomplete bead and a seed- and 47), of flattened granules (nos 44 and
pearl. 46) and of square-toothed wire (nos 46 and
47). In addition the gold of all these objects
Unpublished. has a remarkably consistent colour and
appearance. This group must originally
43. Gold cylinder have formed part of a larger hoard, as four of
Cyprus (?), 9th–10th century (?) the objects would seem to form part of two
L. 31mm, D. 10mm, Wt 2.35g separate necklaces. The repoussé leaf-shaped
Reg. no. PE 1981,5-5,6 pendant (no. 45) would have been suspended
on one side of the pendant cross (no. 44), with
another missing pendant to complement it.
The two opus interrasile pendants (nos 46
and 47) were also probably suspended from
the same necklace, but whether the almond-
shaped pendant was the principal/central
one is uncertain as leaf-shaped pendants were
normally, but not exclusively, suspended on
by a quadrilobe or cross, or a shallow setting,
either side of a central pendant cross.97 In
in either of these forms.99 The final type is
composition this hoard has some superficial
a hybrid of the previous two having flaring
similarities to several other Early Byzantine
arms with figural medallions of the first type,
treasures, notably that from Mersin.
but with either a real or imitative cruciform
or quadrilobe setting in the centre.100 This
44. Gold cross
cross, together with the leaf-shaped pendant
Byzantine, 7th century
(no. 45), would have formed part of a typical
L. 55.8mm, W. 37.2mm, Wt 7.42g
7th-century necklace whose design was
Reg. no. PE 1981,1-4,1
perhaps ultimately derived from a well-
Gold cross of hollow-box construction, the
known sculptural motif which Talbot Rice
Gold cylinder, the body divided into stamped and chased obverse fashioned in
termed a ‘leaved cross’,101 consisting of ‘a
four sections each embossed with three one piece and butt-soldered to a plain gold
cross standing erect, framed on either side by
symmetrical vegetal motifs. It is damaged in reverse. The arms of the cross end in fleurons
a plant or leaf motif’, whose origin he traced
two places. flanking a small medallion decorated with
to a slab from the church of SS Sergius and
This object could have served a number a whorl design, and the centre is in the form
Bacchus in Constantinople, constructed
of functions. Although it bears a superficial of a quadrilobe containing a cross. The
between 527 and 536.102
resemblance to a necklace-clasp, most Early suspension loop is of triple-ridged strip with
An almost identical example to the above
Byzantine clasps are circular in shape, a flattened stud-like granule in the angle
cross is in a private collection in Munich.103
openwork in design, and with attachment between the loop and the obverse of the cross.
Three very similar crosses, two of which
loops soldered to the outer edge of the Early Byzantine pendant crosses with
were found with coins of Heraclius, are in
goldwork. On the other hand, gold cylinders, figural representation or foliate/geometric
the Dumbarton Oaks Collection: they differ,
often hexagonal in section, were commonly motifs fall into three separate but interrelated
however, in that the central quadrilobe is
used as necklace-links/spacers in the 6th categories. Crosses of the first type have
not repoussé, but in the shape of a cruciform
and 7th centuries.92 Such links though are slightly flaring arms ending in medallions,
opening clearly intended to hold a gem or
generally hollow, the chain being threaded sometimes framed with fleurons, containing
paste.104 The same is true of two crosses
through them, as can be seen, for instance, busts of the evangelists or of St John and the
found in the district of Agios Vasileios,
on three 7th-century necklaces, one from Virgin, or personifications of the sun and
near Rethymnon, and now in the Historical
the second Cyprus treasure and now in the moon and the two soldiers casting lots; in
Museum, Herakleion,105 and another from
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York,93 one the centre is the crucified Christ or, more
Kéléguiiskie Khoutora in the Ukraine.106 A
from the Mersin treasure in the Hermitage, rarely, the Virgin.98 The second type also has
somewhat ‘debased’ version is known from
St Petersburg,94 and one found near Kyrenia flaring arms ending in medallions, again
Ozora-Tótipuszta in Hungary, found with
in the Cyprus Museum.95 The Museum’s framed with fleurons, but instead of busts,
coins of Constantine IV struck in 669–70.107
cylinder, however, is capped at either end, the medallions are decorated with whorls,
with no signs of an attachment loop having foliate motifs or small crosses. The figure of
Unpublished.
Christ or the Virgin is replaced in the centre

28 | ‘Intelligible Beauty’
 Notes on Selected Recent Acquisitions of Byzantine Jewellery at the British Museum

45. Gold leaf-shaped pendant

Byzantine, 7th century
L. 32.9mm, W. 17.8mm, Wt 1.70g
Reg. no. PE 1981,1-4,2

twisted below the hole. Seed-pearls, strung

on wire, are threaded through the six loops.
The suspension loop is of convex plain strip
with a flattened stud-like granule at the angle
between the loop and the front of the pendant.
A similar feature covers the upper end of
Museum, New York, and one from the Mersin
the wire on which the amethyst is threaded.
treasure in the Hermitage, St Petersburg,114
There is also a piece of wire wrapped around
also have pendants of a similar form.
the base of the suspension loop.
Pendants of this general design enjoyed
Published: Yeroulanou (n. 87), no. 135, 228.
great popularity in the 6th and 7th
centuries:110 the Empress Theodora, for
Gold pendant of hollow-box construction in 48. Gold bracelet
instance, is bedecked with a necklace with
the shape of a curved leaf; the convex obverse, Byzantine, 7th century
similar pendants on the San Vitale mosaics.111
which is damaged, is stamped and chased 57.5 x 51.2mm, Wt 13.40g
This pendant may have been worn in
with foliate designs; the suspension loop is of Reg. no. PE 1981,1-4,6
conjunction with the following leaf-shaped
triple-ribbed strip, the angle between the loop
pendant (no. 47), serving either as the central
and the obverse masked by a short length of
pendant of a necklace, or more likely, as on
the same strip. On the reverse is a roughly
a necklace from the Mersin treasure, as a
triangular-shaped flap of sheet.
subsidiary piece.112
Leaf-shaped pendants executed in
repoussé are known from necklaces in the
Published: Baldini Lippolis (n. 30), no.
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 108
2.III.8.3; Yeroulanou (n. 87), no. 129, 227.
and in the Dumbarton Oaks Collection.109
47. Gold leaf-shaped pendant
Unpublished.
Byzantine, 7th century
L. 42.2mm, W. 19.3mm, Wt 2.10g
46. Gold, amethyst and pearl pendant
Reg. no. PE 1981,1-4,4
Byzantine, 7th century
Gold opus interrasile pendant in the shape of a
L. 55.4mm, W. 42.2mm, Wt 7.25g Oval gold bracelet in the form of a tube
curved leaf with embossed and chased foliate
Reg. no. PE 1981,1-4,3 tapering towards the ends, one of which has
designs and outlined with square-toothed
Gold almond-shaped pendant executed a triple-ribbed ferrule. Halfway round the
wire soldered to the face of the plaque. A
in opus interrasile. Seven hollow spheres, thickest part of the tube, on the outside, is
slightly flattened granule is soldered to the
butt-soldered from hemispheres, are soldered a length of beaded wire, rubbed
face at the tip. The suspension loop is of triple-
soldered to a strip of gold attached by six almost smooth.
ridged strip.
loops to an openwork plaque, in the centre Similar bracelets are known from
The best parallels for this pendant are two
of which is an almond-shaped hole edged Cyprus,115 Mersin,116 Constantinople117 and
leaf-shaped pendants in the Cyprus Museum
with square-toothed wire soldered to the Sicily.118
in Nicosia, both of which have similar chased
plaque. An amethyst, drilled longitudinally,
designs and granules at the tips of their
is threaded on a wire soldered above and Unpublished.
faces.113 Two necklaces in the Metropolitan

‘Intelligible Beauty’ | 29
Entwistle

49. Gold bracelet in this paper, but I list here in abbreviated rannesrednevekovogo vremeni’, Materialy
Byzantine, 7th century form her relevant parallels according to the po arheologii, istorii i etnografii Tavrii 1,
84.7 x 63.8mm, Wt 9.20g catalogue numbers in my article: Simferopol, 1990, 4–86. Essential also
Reg. no. PE 1981,1-4,7 is: M. Schulze-Dörrlamm, Byzantinische
2. Gold cruciform buckle: Schulze- Gürtelschnallen und Gürtelbeschläge im
Dörrlamm ibid., Types E1-E3, 9–15, with Römisch-Germanischen Zentralmuseum.
the Museum’s example published on 13, Teil 1. Die Schnallen ohne Beschläg, mit
Abb. 3. Laschenbeschläg und mit Festem Beschläg
5. Gold strap end: Schulze-Dörrlamm ibid., des 5. bis 7. Jahrhunderts (Kataloge vor-
Types H3 and H4 and no. 584, 274, for und frühgeschichtlicher Altertümer Band
similar symmetrical foliate decoration on 30), Mainz, 2002.
silver and gold belt-fittings respectively 3 Schulze-Dörrlamm (n. 2), 184–6; cf. no. 11
from Eski Kermen in the Crimea, and Asia below.
Minor. 4 Inv. no. AM 1909, 828.
8. Buckle-plate of Type ‘Corinth’: Schulze- 5 M.C. Ross, Catalogue of the Byzantine
Dörrlamm ibid., Type E6, 19–26. and Early Mediaeval Antiquities in the
20–21. Buckle-plates of ‘insect-like’ form: Dumbarton Oaks Collection, Vol. 2: Jewelry,
Schulze-Dörrlamm ibid., Type E11, 36–9. Enamels, and Art of the Migration Period,
Gold bracelet, a larger, deformed example of Washington DC, 1965, no. 2C, 4–6, pl. VII.
30. Buckle: Schulze-Dörrlamm ibid., Type F1,
the preceding type, with a ferrule of triple- 6 A. Garside (ed.), Jewelry: Ancient to
136–9.
ridged strip and, at intervals, three bands of Modern, Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore,
33. Buckle-plate: Schulze-Dörrlamm ibid.,
double, triple and quadruple-ridged strip. 1979, no. 431, 153.
Type E23, 71–7, for slight variants.
34. Buckle fragment with Christ: Schulze- 7 E. Georgoula (ed.), Greek Jewellery from
Unpublished Dörrlamm ibid., Type E28, 89–91. the Benaki Museum Collections, Athens,
36. Buckle-plate of Type ‘Bologna’: Schulze- 1999, no. 123, 329.
50. Gold finger-ring Dörrlamm ibid., Type E8, 29–33. 8 Ross (n. 5), no. 4F, 7–8, pl. X.
Byzantine, 7th century 9 Garside (n. 6), no. 431, 153.
24.9 x 20.3 x 12mm, Wt 5.10g 10 J. Werner, ‘Eine goldene byzantinische
Reg. no. PE 1981,1-4,5
Notes
Gürtelschnalle in der Prähistorischen
1 This article was not presented as a paper
Staatssammlung München’, Bayerische
at the conference. I would like to thank
Vorgeschichtsblätter 53 (1988), 301–08.
Christoph Eger and Noël Adams for their
11 R. Cormack and M. Vassilaki (eds),
comments.
Byzantium 330 – 1453, London, 2008, no.
2 The bibliography on the subject of
111, 159 and 407.
Byzantine belt-fittings is extensive. For
12 A.K. Orlandos, ‘Époque byzantine et post-
major regional studies see, inter alia,
byzantine’, in P. Amandry (ed.), Collection
for Spain: G. Ripoll López, Toréutica de
Hélène Stathatos. III. Objets antiques et
la Bética (Siglos VI y VII d.c.), Barcelona,
byzantins, Strasbourg, 1963, no. 200, 281,
1988; Sardinia: O. von Hessen,
pl. XLI.
‘Byzantinische Schnallen aus Sardinien
13 Schulze-Dörrlamm (n. 2), Types D22–D26,
im Museo Archeologico zu Turin’, in G.
193–207, for some examples. See also, D.
Kossack and G. Ulbert (eds), Studien zur
Papanikola-Bakirtzi (ed.), Everyday Life
vor- und frühgeschichtlichen Archäologie.
in Byzantium (exh. cat., White Tower,
Festschrift für Joachim Werner II, Munich,
Thessaloniki), Thessaloniki, 2002, no.
1974, 545–57; Italy: E. Riemer, Romanische
823.
Grabfunde des 5.-8. Jahrhunderts in
14 Ross (n. 5), no. 4F, 7–8, pl. X.
Italien, Rahden/Westf., 2000; south-
15 Ibid., no. 6H, 11, pl. XIV. The rosette
east Europe: V. Varsik, ‘Byzantinische
bosses which decorate the plate are also
Gürtelschnallen im mittleren und unteren
reminiscent of another 7th-century buckle
Donauraum im 6. und 7. Jahrhundert’,
type, Werner’s Type ‘Riva San Vitale’ (J.
Slovenská Archeólogia 40/1 (1992), 77–106;
Werner, ‘Byzantinische Gürtelschnalle
Hungary: E. Garam, Funde byzantinischer
aus Riva San Vitale’, Sibrium 3 (1957), 79),
Herkunft in der Awarenzeit vom Ende
which Eger dates from the mid- 7th to the
des 6. bis zum Ende des 7. Jahrhunderts,
early 8th century: see Eger, this volume,
Budapest, 2001; Romania: D. Gh. Teodor,
in particular Pls 9 and 11.
‘Piese vestimentare bizantine din secolele
16 A. Banck, Byzantine Art in the Collections
VI – VIII în spaţiul carpato-dunăreano-
of the USSR, Leningrad/Moscow, 1966, pl.
Gold finger-ring with slender tapering hoop pontic’, Arheologia Moldovei 14 (1991),
105. Cf. also L. Wamser (ed.), Die Welt von
and a bowl bezel. The bezel is set with a 117–38; North Africa: Ch. Eger, ‘Boucles de
Byzanz – Europas Östliches Erbe – Glanz,
convex green glass. ceinture de la region de Carthage datant
Krisen und Fortleben einer tausendjährigen
des VIe et VIIe siècles’, Centre d’ Études
Kultur, Munich, 2004, nos 478, 480, 481,
Unpublished. et de Documentation Archéologique de
for shield-shaped mounts with ‘dot and
la Conservation de Carthage 19 (1999),
comma’ ornament.
12–15; Israel: idem, ‘Gürtelschnallen des
17 J. Andrási, ‘A gold belt-end from
Addendum 6. bis 8. Jahrhunderts aus der Sammlung
the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford’,
Shortly before this volume went to press des Studium Biblicum Franciscanum’,
in F. Daim (ed.), Die Awaren am
I received a copy of Schulze-Dörrlamm’s Liber Annuus 51 (2001) (2003), 337–50;
Rand der byzantinischen Welt:
second volume of the buckles in the Jordan: idem, ‘Dress Accessories of Late
Studien zu Diplomatie, Handel und
collection of the Römisch-Germanisches Antiquity in Jordan’, Levant 35 (2003),
Technologietransfer im Frühmittelalter,
Zentralmuseum in Mainz: M. Schulze- 163–78; Turkey: M. Lightfoot, ‘Belt
Innsbruck, 2000, 67–76, at 75, fig. 11.
Dörrlamm, Byzantinische Gürtelschnallen und Buckles from Amorium and in the Afyon
18 Garam (n. 2), pls 87 and 99.
Gürtelbeschläge im Römisch-Germanischen Archaeological Museum’, in C.S. Lightfoot
19 M.S. Arena et al. (eds), Roma dall’Antichità
Zentralmuseum. Teil 2. Die Schnallen mit (ed.), Amorium Reports II: Research Papers
al Medioevo. Archeologia e Storia nel Museo
Scharnierbeschläg und die Schnallen mit and Technical Reports (BAR International
Nazionale Romano Crypta Balbi, Milan,
Angegossenem Riemendurchzug des 7. bis 10. Series 1170), Oxford, 2003, 81–103; Crimea
2001, II.4.650, 382–3.
Jahrhunderts, Mainz, 2009. There was no (Ukraine): A.I. Aïbabin, ‘Chronologiya
20 Aïbabin (n. 2), pl. 43:3-19.
time to update in detail the buckle entries mogil’nikov Krima pozdnerimskogo i

30 | ‘Intelligible Beauty’
 Notes on Selected Recent Acquisitions of Byzantine Jewellery at the British Museum

21 Ross (n. 5), no. 42A, 41–2, pl. XXXIV. map of the type’s distribution. See also: U. considers this to be a Levantine variant of
22 A. Pasqui, ‘Necropoli barbarica di Nocera Jantzen, Die Wasserleitung des Eupalinos: the ‘Corinth’ type. The pierced projections
Umbra’, Monumenti Antichi 25 (1918), Die Funde (Samos Band XX), Bonn, 2004, resembling birds’ heads are reminiscent
137–352, at 310, fig. 165. nos 731–2, 120–1, pl. 19; A.H.S. Megaw, of the buckle Type ‘Pápa’, although the
23 Garam (n. 2), pl. 85. Kourion: Excavations in the Episcopal plates are of a completely different form: S.
24 L.K. Pekarskaja and D. Kidd, Der Precinct, Washington DC, 2007, no. 9, 529, Uenze, ‘Die Schnallen mit Riemenschlaufe
Silberschatz von Martynovka (Ukraine) fig. 17.1. aus dem 6. und 7. Jahrh.’, Bayerische
aus dem 6. und 7. Jahrhundert, Innsbruck, 51 P. Orsi, ‘Bizantina Siciliae. VII: I fermagli Vorgeschichtsblätter 31 (1966), 142–81, at
1994, pls 5, 31, 57 and 159–60, pls 1 and 2. di cintura’, BZ 21 (1912), 197–204, at 201, fig. 149–52, Abb. 5.
25 J. Werner, ‘Byzantinische Gürtelschnallen 17. See also, Wamser (n. 16), no. 459, 281. 69 Ripoll López (n. 2), no. 25, 286–7, pl. 8;
des 6. und 7. Jahrhunderts aus dem 52 G.R. Davidson, Corinth. Volume 12: The Schulze-Dörrlamm (n. 2), 233, pl. 87.
Sammlung Diergardt’, Kölner Jahrbuch für Minor Objects, Princeton, 1952, no. 2220, 70 See also another variant where the bust of
Vor- und Frühgeschichte 1 (1955), 36–48, pl. 273, pl. 115. Christ has been substituted with Samson
4:5,6,7. 53 Ripoll López (n. 2), no. 123, 188, 347–8, fig. wrestling the lion, and the two heads
26 E. Garam, ‘Über die Beziehung der 34, pl. 41. with confronted birds: J.F. Westenholz,
byzantinischen Goldschnallen und der 54 Baldini Lippolis (n. 30), no. 4.h, 233; Images of Inspiration, The Old Testament in
awarenzeitlichen Pseudoschnallen’, Riemer (n. 2), pl. 97:11. Early Christian Art, Bible Lands Museum
in Cs. Bálint (ed.), Kontakte zwischen 55 Orsi (n. 51), 204, fig. 25; P. Orsi, ‘Gli Scavi Jerusalem, 2000, no. 49, 79.
Iran, Byzanz und der Steppe im 6.–7. intorno a L’Athenaion di Siricusa negli anni 71 Cormack and Vassilaki (n. 11), no. 111, 159
Jahrhundert, Budapest/Naples/Rome, 1912–1917’, Monumenti Antichi 25 (1918), and 407.
2000, 222, fig. 3.1-3. 583, fig. 172. 72 Garam (n. 2), 90, pl. 54.5 and pl. 105.5.
27 Werner (n. 25), pl. 4:5–7. 56 Orsi (n. 51), 200–01, fig. 16; Wamser (n. 16), 73 Garside (n. 6), no. 433, 154.
28 Ross (n. 5), no. 6H, 11, pl. XIV. no. 455, 281. 74 Stiegemann (n. 62), no. IV.91, 341–2;
29 Werner (n. 25), 47–8; D. Csallány, ‘Les 57 Baldini Lippolis (n. 30), no. 4c.20, 229 Wamser (n. 16), no. 442, 279.
monuments de l’industrie byzantine (from Mattinata, Puglia). 75 Eger 2002 (n. 2), no. 8, 344–5, fig. 2,3.
des métaux I’, Acta Antiqua Academiae 58 See C. Katsougiannopoulou, ‘Einige 76 Garam (n.2), 90, pl. 54.2.
Scientiarum Hungaricae 2 (1954), 325 Überlegungen zum byzantinischen 77 Werner (n. 25), 47–8, pl. 5.3.
and 346–7, pl. VI.1–7; Csallány assigns an Friedhof in Tigani auf den Peloponnes’, 78 Aibabin (n. 2), pl. 42: 10, 13.
almost identical example to the British in U. Pohl, U. Recker and C. Theune (eds), 79 Gavrituchin (n. 38), fig. 20.15.
Museum’s to Group 8: ibid., 327 and Archäologisches Zellwerk. Beiträge zur 80 Eger 2001 (n. 2), no. 7, 342–4, pl. 2.2.
347, pl. VII.3. For a distribution map of Kulturgeschichte in Europa und Asien. 81 Eger 1999 (n. 2), 12, pl. 4.5.
this type see: E. Riemer, ‘Byzantinische Festschrift für Helmut Roth zum 60. 82 Davidson (n. 52), no. 2191, pl. 114 for a slight
Gürtelschnallen aus der Sammlung Geburstag, Rahden/Westf., 2001, 461–5, variant.
Diergardt im Römisch-Germanischen Abb. 4, for an example from Tigani in the 83 Riemer (n. 2), 448, pl. 101.9 (from
Museum Köln’, Kölner Jahrbuch 28 (1995), southern Peloponnese. Chiaramonte Gulfi).
777–809, at 804–07, fig. 32. 59 Orsi (n. 51), 200, fig. 14 (from Pantalica); 84 Baldini Lippolis (n. 30), no. 4.i.2, 233 (from
30 Ripoll López (n. 2), no. 120, 346, fig. 34. H. Dannheimer, Byzantinische Grabfunde S. Maria Vittoria, Serri).
31 Von Hessen (n. 2), pl.3; Baldini Lippolis (n. aus Sizilien, Munich, 1989, no. 24, 38, pl. 2 85 Ibid., no. 4.i.3, 233 (from Tomb G2, basilica
30), nos 4e.11–14, 232. (from Centuripe) and no. 53, 44, pl. 3 (from of S. Tommaso, Cimitile); Arena et al. (n.
32 Riemer (n. 2), pls. 96.13, 97.3 and 101.8. Mussomeli); Riemer (n. 2), 438, pl. 96.8 19), no. II.4.591, 374–5 (from Rome).
33 Werner (n. 25), 47; Papanikola-Bakirtzi (from San Mauro Sotto). 86 See for instance the pendants worn by
(n. 13), no. 480, for six examples found in a 60 P. Arthur, ‘Fibbie e fibule di etá the Empress Theodora on the San Vitale
tomb in the basilica at Tigani, and no. 481 altomedievale dal Salento’, Studi di mosaics, as illustrated by Stolz, this
for a further two examples. Antichitá 9 (1996), 431–8. volume, Pl. 2.
34 Ibid., 48. 61 Riemer (n. 2), 437, pl. 93.3, 438, pl. 96.9 and 87 For earlier examples of the strip set
35 Ibid., 48. 450, pl. 116.2; see also, Orsi (n. 51), 200, fig. edgeways, see for instance the openwork
36 Garam (n. 2), pl. 62.1, 313. 13. hoops of a ring in the Benaki Museum (B.
37 N. Profantová, ‘The Middle Avar period 62 C. Stiegemann (ed.), Byzanz – Das Segall, Katalog der Goldschmiede-Arbeiten:
and the problem of a “cultural change”’, Licht aus dem Osten: Kult und Alltag Museum Benaki, Athens, Athens, 1938, no.
Antæus 29–30 (2008), 215–32, at 223, fig. im Byzantinischen Reich vom 4. bis 15. 256, 162, pl. 50), and one in the Dumbarton
8.5. Jahrhundert, Paderborn, 2001, no. IV.95, Oaks Collection (Ross [n. 5], no. 72, 61, pl.
38 Werner (n. 25), 47, pl. 8:13 and 15; I. 343–4. 45), and an earring in the Kanellopoulos
Gavrituchin, ‘Archaeological heritage 63 Riemer (n. 2), 464, pl. 103:9-10. Museum, Athens (Baldini Lippolis (n.
of the Avar Khaganate’, Antæus 29–30 64 See Eger, this volume. 30), no. 4f7, 97. For the scroll of closed
(2008), 63–125, at 117, fig. 20: 48 and 54. 65 Wamser (n. 16), no. 449, 281. See also E. S-shapes, see a number of gold earrings
39 Lightfoot (n. 2), no. 15, 86. Dauterman Maguire, H.P. Maguire and in the British Museum (O.M. Dalton,
40 I. Mikulčić, Spätantike und M.J. Duncan-Flowers, Art and Holy Powers Catalogue of the Early Christian Antiquities
frühbyzantinische Befestigungen in in the Early Christian House, Urbana and and Objects from the Christian East in
Nordmakedonien, Munich, 2002, pl. 47.9 Chicago, 1989, no. 100, 175, for a related the Department of British and Medieval
(from Čučer). example with a box monogram resolving Antiquities and Ethnography of the British
41 See Schulze-Dörrlamm (n. 2), 152–5, for as ‘of Paul’. Museum, London, 1901, nos 268–70, 44,
references and a distribution map of the 66 See W. Wroth, Catalogue of the Coins of the pl. V) and in the Benaki Museum (Segall
type. Vandals, Ostrogoths and Lombards….in ibid., nos 245–6, 156–7, pl. 49); also,
42 Ibid., 161–3. the British Museum, London, 1911, 326–7, A. Yeroulanou, Diatreta. Gold pierced-
43 Ibid., 184–6. for the monogram types, the closest being work jewellery from the 3rd to the 7th
44 Riemer (n. 2), pl. 96.11. that of Gelimer (530-33). century, Athens, 1999, no. 464, 278. Also
45 In the British Museum. See Ager, this 67 E.M. Ruprechtsberger, Syrien: von den noteworthy are a group of copper-alloy
volume, Pl. 17. Aposteln zu den Kalifen, Linz, 1993, no. 22, earrings composed of openwork filigree
46 Schulze-Dörrlamm (n. 2), 185. 405; for two very similar unprovenanced wire in the form of crosses and scrolls
47 G.F. Bass and F.H. van Doorninck, Jr., examples, see: Frank Sternberg. Antike which have traditionally been ascribed to
Yassi Ada: A Seventh-Century Byzantine Münzen. Griechen – Römer – Byzantiner… Egypt (see Papinokola-Bakitrzi [n. 13], no.
Shipwreck, I, College Station, 1982, MF20, Auktion XXII.. .den 20. November 1989 und.. 554 (with bibliography) for two pairs in
277, fig. 12-7. .den ...21 November 1989 im Hotel Bellerive the Benaki Museum, Athens). As with the
48 Lightfoot (n. 2), nos 12 and 14, 86. au Lac, Zürich, Zurich, 1989, nos 742 and gold filigree examples they are normally
49 Garam (n. 2), 93, pl. 59.5. 743a, pl. 35. dated to the 6th and 7th centuries. I am not
50 Ibid., 193–9, esp. nos 173–7, and fig. 71 for a 68 Eger 2003 (n. 2), 173 and 176, fig. 4.2, who aware, however, of the existence of any

‘Intelligible Beauty’ | 31
Entwistle

reliable archaeological evidence to justify Lambousa, Nicosia, 1969, 52, fig. 40. Stathatos: les objets byzantins et post
this dating and it may well be that both 94 Banck (n. 16), no. 104, 348, fig. 104. byzantins, Limoges, 1957, no. 44, 59, pl. V;
groups are later than supposed. 95 J.L. Myers, ‘Byzantine Jewellery in Pierides (n. 89), 56, pl. XXXIX; Ross (n. 5),
88 For later Western examples as, for Cyprus’, The Reliquary and Illustrated no. 6B, 10, pl. XII.
instance, exemplified by three Ottonian Archaeologist, New Series, Vol. IV (1898), 101 D. Talbot Rice, ‘The leaved cross’,
brooches in the British Museum’s 109–12, fig. 1. Byzantinoslavica XI (1950), 72–81. A
collection - the Towneley brooch, the 96 For a necklace in the Dumbarton Oaks typical example of this type of necklace is
Dowgate Hill brooch, and a brooch set Collection with two pendant amulet cases in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New
with a Roman cameo from the Franks flanking a cross, see: Ross (n. 5), no. 6B, York, on which Brown commented: ‘the
Bequest – see: J. Ogden, ‘The Technology 10, pl. XII; for three 7th-century examples leaf pendants are similar in shape to the
of Medieval Jewelry’, in D.A. Scott, J. from the Mytilene treasure, see: Baldini Cyprus tree that often flank the cross in
Podany and B.B. Considine (eds), Ancient Lippolis (n. 30), no. 2.III.9b.2-3, 146–7, fig. Byzantine representations, where they
& Historic Metals. Conservation and 14. are symbolic of the trees in the Garden of
Scientific Research, Getty Conservation 97 For three variants, see a necklace in the Eden that brought death and the tree of
Institute Malibu, 1994, 153– 82, at 168–71, Dumbarton Oaks Collection which has Golgotha which brings life’: Weitzmann
figs 9, 12, 17. I am grateful to Jack Ogden two leaf-shaped pendants flanking a (n. 99), 311.
for this reference. For jewellery in the rectangular pendant stamped with a cross 102 C. Mango, ‘The Church of Saints Sergius
East, see in particular the so-called basket (Ross [n. 5], no. 6A, 10. pl. XIII), a necklace and Bacchus at Constantinople and the
earrings of the 11th or 12th centuries, in the Metropolitan Museum, New York, alleged tradition of octagonal Palatine
both Byzantine and Islamic: A. Gonosová which has two leaf-shaped pendants in the churches’, Jahrbuch der Osterreichischen
and C. Kondoleon, Art of Late Rome and centre with a circular pendant on either Byzantinistik 21 (1971), 189–93.
Byzantium in the Virginia Museum of Fine side of them (H. Pierce and R. Tyler, L’art 103 Wamser (n. 16), no. 512, 310. See also, A.I.
Arts, Richmond, 1994, nos 28 and 30; byzantin, II, Paris, 1934, 131, pl. 189C), Aïbabin, ‘Pogrebenija konza VII-pervoj
Papanikola-Bakirtzi (n. 13), no. 558; H.C. and a necklace from the Mersin treasure poloviny VIII v. v Krymu’, in A.K. Ambroz
Evans and W.D. Wixom (eds), The Glory of with a cross flanked by one circular and and I.F. Erdélyi (eds), Drevnosti epokhi
Byzantium: Art and Culture of the Middle one leaf-shaped pendant (V. Zalesskaya, velikogo pereseliniia narodov V – VIII
Byzantine Era ad 843 – 1261, New York, Monuments of Byzantine Applied Arts 4th vekov, Moscow, 1982, 165–92, at 185, fig.
1997, no. 274, where an Islamic origin for – 7th Centuries. Catalogue of the Hermitage 10.10 for what appears to be a very similar
these earrings is argued. Collection, St Petersburg, 2006, no. 137, example from catacomb 257 at Eski-
89 F. Naumann, Antiker Schmuck (Katalog 99–100 (in Russian). Kermen.
der Sammlung und der Sonderausstellung 98 For some examples of this type (with 104 Ross (n. 5), nos 6B, 6C, 6D, pl. XII.
vom. 31.5 bis 31.8. 1980), Melsungen, 1980, Christ in the centre) see: A. Riegl, Die 105 Chatzidakis (n. 99), no. 414, fig. 412;
no. 29, 29, pl. 8. A not dissimilar piece is spätromische Kunst-Industrie nach Baldini Lippolis (n. 30), no. 2.III.10a:6-7.
an earring from Kyrenia in the Cyprus den Funden in Osterreich-Ungarn, II, 106 Baldini Lippolis (n. 30), no. 2.III.10a.8,
Museum in Nicosia, which appears to have Vienna, 1923, 39, pl. XIV; J. Werner, 148.
corrugated strip set facing, but which is in ‘Zwei byzantinische Pektoralkreuze aus 107 Garam (n. 2), pl. 39.2.
reality beaded wire (A. Pierides, Jewellery Aegypten’, Seminarium Kondakovianum 108 For an excellent photograph see:
in the Cyprus Museum, Nicosia, 1971, pl. 8 (1936), 183ff., pl. V; A.B. Tonnochy, ‘A Yeroulanou (n. 87), 37.
XXXVII, no. 3, 29) Byzantine Pectoral Cross’, British Museum 109 Ross (n. 5), nos 6A and 11, 10, 16–17, pls XIII
90 For a brief discussion of corrugated or Quarterly 15 (1941–50), 76; Ross (n. 5), no. and XVIII. For similar single pendants,
undulating strip in a historical context, 15, 21–2, pl. XXIII; Baldini Lippolis (n. 30), see: Price (n. 98), 96; Aïbabin (n. 103), fig.
see: Ogden (n. 88), 168–71. no. 2.III.10a.12, 148; J. Price, Masterpieces 10.15.
91 N. Whitfield, ‘Round Wire in the Early of Ancient Jewelry, Philadelphia/London, 110 See for instance: Collection Stathatos (n.
Middle Ages’, Jewellery Studies 4 (1990), 2008, 94; with the Virgin in the centre: 100), no. 203A, 284, pl. XLII ; Chatzidakis
13–28, at 24, fig. 13; J.M. Ogden, ‘Classical Dalton (n. 87), no. 287; G. Cavallo et al. (n. 99), no. 411, 373; Yeroulanou (n.
Gold Wire’, Jewellery Studies 5 (1991), (eds), I Bizantini in Italia, Milan, 1982, no. 87), no. 130, 227. The combination of a
95–105, fig. 3. The origins of drawn wire 301, 352. centrally-threaded stone (amethysts,
are still uncertain, although Ogden (n. 99 For this type see, inter alia: M. Chatzidakis pearls or sapphires) and borders of pearls
88), has recently remarked: ‘on the basis (ed.), Byzantine Art, an European Art, the or seed-pearls, is best paralleled on
of our current knowledge, it is possible to 9th Exhibition of the Council of Europe, almond-shaped earrings: Ross (n. 5), no.
conclude that gold wiredrawing probably Athens, 1964, nos 412–13, 373; Ross (n. 89, 68–9, pl. XLVII; Stylianou (n. 93), 58,
first appeared in the Western world in 5), nos 6C and 6D, 10, pl. XII; Zalesskaya fig. 44; Pierides (n. 89), pl. XXXVII, 2 and
about the seventh or eighth century CE’. (n. 97), no. 137, 99–100; K. Weitzmann, 3.
It was certainly widespread in northern Age of Spirituality. Late Antique and Early 111 See Stolz in this volume, Pl. 2.
Europe by around 800 (cf. Whitfield, Christian Art, third to seventh century (exh. 112 Zalesskaya (n. 97).
ibid., 24–6). The gold earring in the British cat., Metropolitan Museum of Art, New 113 Myers (n. 95), 109, fig. 1.
Museum illustrated by Oddy (A. Oddy, York), New York, 1979, 298, fig. 36, and 114 Stylianou (n. 93), figs 40 and 41;
‘Gold wire in Antiquity’, Aurum 5 (1981), no. 285, 311. For an example from Kerch, Zalesskaya (n. 97), no. 104, 348, fig. 104.
8–12, fig. 10), and sometimes stated to be where the central setting has been inlaid 115 Pierides (n. 89), 58, pl. XXXIX.
an early example of 7th-century Byzantine with garnets, see: O.M. Dalton, ‘A gold 116 Banck (n. 16), no. 102.
drawn wire, is in fact a much later Middle pectoral cross and an amuletic bracelet 117 Ross (n. 5), no. 4C, 7, pl. IX, and no. 179G,
Byzantine type. of the sixth century’, in Mélanges offerts à 136, pl. XCVI.
92 Links of this form have a long tradition Gustav Schlumberger, Paris, 1924, 386–90, 118 P. Orsi, Sicilia bizantina, I, Rome, 1942,
going back to at least the 3rd century. pl. XVII. pl. 10, no. 1; Baldini Lippolis (n. 30), no.
93 A. and J. Stylianou, The Treasures of 100 For this type, see: Collection Hélène 2.VI.14-16, 182.

32 | ‘Intelligible Beauty’