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Source Description
This fibula, shaped like a griffin, a mythical creature half lion and half eagle, is decorated with twisted gold filigree wires and has a red stone or glass inlay for an eye. It was one of a pair crafted in a workshop in northern France. Originally these paired brooches were worn by women, one on either side of the chest. Its mate belongs to the Hungarian National Museum in Budapest. Similar griffin fibulae have been found in late 6th-century Frankish graves.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
33075
label
Griffin Fibula
core
obj
dtoType
object
citationUrl
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
33075
sourceUrl
contentType
object
stage
normalized
title
Griffin Fibula
description
This fibula, shaped like a griffin, a mythical creature half lion and half eagle, is decorated with twisted gold filigree wires and has a red stone or glass inlay for an eye. It was one of a pair crafted in a workshop in northern France. Originally these paired brooches were worn by women, one on either side of the chest. Its mate belongs to the Hungarian National Museum in Budapest. Similar griffin fibulae have been found in late 6th-century Frankish graves.
provenance
Henry Walters, Baltimore, [date of acquisition unknown] by purchase; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.
date
mid-late 6th century (Early Medieval)
citationUrl
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
genreSpecific
Gold, Silver & Jewelry
fibulae
imageCount
1
pageCount
1
source
import
dimensions
units
cm
width
2.5
height
3.8
depth
0.8
dimensionsRaw
1 x 1 1/2 x 5/16 in. (2.5 x 3.8 x 0.8 cm)
Source extras
cul
Frankish
med
gold, bronze (over an iron core), garnet or glass
creator_ids
2386
collection_ids
MED
JWL
exhibition_ids
2054
358
2513
2704
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
95db963f5d5c5b42