Lot Essay
The inscribed buckle said to be from Romania.
CIRCA LATE 5TH-7TH CENTURY A.D.
Details
THREE BYZANTINE BRONZE BUCKLES
circa late 5th-7th century a.d.
Including a D-shaped buckle plate with a flat border around a raised central field divided by strips into twenty-two cloisonné cells creating a shell, inlaid with green, turquoise and gold glass, with two fragmentary attachments projecting from the flat edge; a buckle with an oval loop expanding to a point for the tongue rest, the top with a Greek inscription reading "May the Lord protect..." followed by a male and female name, the sides with incised dotted zig-zag and a central equal-armed cross, the tongue hooked to the cylindrical bar of the loop, with a circular base set with eight glass disks around a central glass disk, incised scrolling on the sides, the point with two glass disks on either side, incised zig-zag on the top; and a tinned bronze openwork rectangular buckle, the end in the form of two pairs of confronted bird heads, each with a stamped ring for the eye, the small tongue with an incised cross at the base, attachment loops in back
2 1/8 in. (5.4 cm.) wide for the first (3)
circa late 5th-7th century a.d.
Including a D-shaped buckle plate with a flat border around a raised central field divided by strips into twenty-two cloisonné cells creating a shell, inlaid with green, turquoise and gold glass, with two fragmentary attachments projecting from the flat edge; a buckle with an oval loop expanding to a point for the tongue rest, the top with a Greek inscription reading "May the Lord protect..." followed by a male and female name, the sides with incised dotted zig-zag and a central equal-armed cross, the tongue hooked to the cylindrical bar of the loop, with a circular base set with eight glass disks around a central glass disk, incised scrolling on the sides, the point with two glass disks on either side, incised zig-zag on the top; and a tinned bronze openwork rectangular buckle, the end in the form of two pairs of confronted bird heads, each with a stamped ring for the eye, the small tongue with an incised cross at the base, attachment loops in back
2 1/8 in. (5.4 cm.) wide for the first (3)