Belluno Treasure
The Belluno Treasure is an important Lombardic hoard found at Belluno, Italy in the nineteenth century that has been part of the British Museum's collection since 1897.[1]
| Belluno Treasure | |
|---|---|
 Disc brooch from the Belluno Treasure displayed in the British Museum | |
| Material | Gold and precious stones |
| Size | 4.5 cm diameter (brooch) |
| Created | 6th-7th Centuries AD |
| Period/culture | Lombardic |
| Present location | British Museum |
| Identification | AF.529 |
Discovery
The hoard was apparently found in a grave near the town of Belluno in the region of Veneto, northern Italy. Dating to the late 6th or early 7th centuries AD, the rich grave group probably belonged to a female member of the Lombardic court. It was later purchased by the curator and philanthropist Augustus Franks, who bequeathed it to the British Museum in 1897.[2]
Description
The Belluno Treasure is largely composed of gold and gem-encrusted jewellery. The style of decoration from the hoard reflect contemporary fashions in the Mediterranean. It includes two gold cross pendants (one with punched ornamentation), a gold and garnet cloisonné disc brooch, a finger-ring, a gold pin with a terminus in the form of a hand (which may have once held a pearl), and gold beads.
Gallery
Gold cross, which indicates that the person buried was Christian
Gold pin with terminus in the shape of a small hand
Finger ring with punched decoration
Another cross from the hoard with perforated loop
Further reading
- S. Marzinzik, Masterpieces: Early Medieval Art (London, British Museum Press, 2013)
- N. Christie, The Lombards (Oxford, Blackwell, 1995)
- A. Castagnetti and G.M. Varanini (eds.), Il Veneto nel medioevo. Dalla (Verona, Banco Popolare di Verona, 1989)