Byzantine Peacock Earrings - The Metropolitan Museum of Art

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Met Bestseller - Byzantine Peacock Earrings

	One of the great initiatives taken by Constantine the Great, emperor of Rome from 307–337 A.D., was the transferring of the imperial capital to Constantinople (originally a small Greek town called Byzantion, that is now Istanbul, Turkey). Serving as a bridge between Europe and Asia, Constantinople became one of the most important centers of jewelry-making in the Mediterranean. The capital’s stylistic innovations became popular and highly lauded throughout the Byzantine Empire. The Museum’s Byzantine Peacock Earrings are based on an original pair in the Museum’s collection that features a pierced-work technique called opus interrasile, in which patterns are formed by making openings in flat metal surfaces. This technique highlights the play of light and shadow, and was one of the more innovative jewelry-making methods used in Late Antique and Early Byzantine styles. 24K gold plate. Length 1 1/2 in. Pierced, with 14K gold ear wires. Byzantine Peacock Earrings 09-002015 Member Price: $67.50 each Non-Member Price: $75.00 each Quantity: