Tickets
English
DonateMembershipTickets

Gold Necklace with Pendants

ca. 7th century
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 301
The intricately worked pendants are separated by hexagonal spacers.

Opus interrasile was a technique used by goldsmiths to make elegant jewelry from the 200s through the 600s. Designs were traced onto sheets of gold; the background was punched with holes of various sizes to highlight the pattern; and fine details were then worked on the surface. The patterns formed by piercing the metal ground encouraged the play of light and shadow across an object's surface.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Gold Necklace with Pendants
  • Date: ca. 7th century
  • Culture: Byzantine
  • Medium: Pendants: gold - sheet; scribed, engraved, chased, punched; wire - beaded; granulation. Tubes: gold - sheet; wire - beaded. Chain: gold - strip (half round).
  • Dimensions: Overall: 21 5/8 x 1 15/16 x 3/8 in. (55 x 4.9 x 0.9 cm)
    chain: 21 5/8 in. (55 cm)
    hexagonal shaped beads: 1 7/16 x 3/8 in. (3.6 x 0.9 cm)
    medallions: 1 15/16 x 1 1/2 x 1/4 in. (4.9 x 3.8 x 0.7 cm)
    petal shaped pendants: 1 7/8 x 1 x 1/4 in. (4.7 x 2.6 x 0.7 cm)
  • Classification: Metalwork-Gold
  • Credit Line: Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917
  • Object Number: 17.190.1656
  • Curatorial Department: Medieval Art and The Cloisters

More Artwork

More Artwork
Processional Cross, Silver with gilding and gilded silver medallions, Byzantine
Processional Cross
Byzantine
ca. 1000–1050
Dorsal Plait Ornament, Silver, fire-gilded and engraved/punched with stamped, beaded and applique decoration and table cut carnelians and slightly domed carbelians with silver link chains, bells/beads and embossed pendants
Dorsal Plait Ornament
late 19th–early 20th century
Sword and Scabbard, Iron blade, copper alloy hilt and scabbard, Celtic
Sword and Scabbard
Celtic
ca. 60 BCE
The Fieschi Morgan Staurotheke, Gilded silver, gold, enamel worked in cloisonné, and niello, Byzantine
The Fieschi Morgan Staurotheke
Byzantine
early 9th century
Heraldic chain with pendant badge, Michael Botza, Partly enameled gold, pearl, German, Dresden
Heraldic chain with pendant badge
Michael Botza
early 17th century

Related Content

Publications

Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please contact us using the form below. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.

Send feedback

Content Notice

The Metropolitan Museum of Art presents over 5,000 years of art from around the world, and our online collection reflects ongoing work conducted over the course of our more than 150-year history. You may encounter objects or images that may be inappropriate for some viewers or information that may be outdated.