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One of a Pair of Gold Cloisonné Earring

500–550
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 301
Hoop earrings with polyhedral beads, derived from late Roman jewelry, remained fashionable among Frankish women from the 400s through the 700s. Many are delicate pieces, their beads decorated with garnets or precious stones. Others, often with the least imposing beads, impress by their large hoops and distinctive closures.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: One of a Pair of Gold Cloisonné Earring
  • Date: 500–550
  • Culture: Frankish
  • Medium: Gold, garnets with patterned foil backings, green stone; garnets with unpatterned foil backings are restorations
  • Dimensions: Overall: 1 5/16 x 1 7/16 x 1/2 in. (3.4 x 3.7 x 1.2 cm)
    hoop: 1 3/8 in. (3.5 cm)
    bead: 7/16 x 9/16 x 7/16 in. (1.1 x 1.4 x 1.1 cm)
  • Classification: Metalwork-Gold
  • Credit Line: Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917
  • Object Number: 17.191.87
  • Curatorial Department: Medieval Art and The Cloisters
More Artwork
Top of a Signet Ring, Gilded silver, beaded wire border; no spring/pin extant, Frankish
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One of a Pair of Gold Cloisonné Earrings, Gold, garnets with patterned foil backings, green stone; garnets with unpatterned foil backings are restorations, Frankish
Frankish
500–550
Glass "Claw" Beaker, Glass, Frankish
Frankish
5th–6th century
Buckle Loop, Bronze, French,  Haute-Savoie
French, Haute-Savoie
possibly 5th century
Earring, Gold, semi-precious stones, Coptic
Coptic
2nd–3rd century

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