Sutri Treasure
Part of the Sutri Treasure displayed in the British Museum | |
Material | Gold and precious stones |
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Created | 6th-7th Centuries AD |
Period/culture | Lombardic |
Present location | British Museum |
Identification | 1887,0108,3-9 |
Discovery
The rich grave group was found in 1878 near the town of Sutri in the province of Viterbo, central Italy. Dating to the 6th-7th centuries AD, the treasure was buried at a time of conflict between the Lombards and the Byzantine Empire. Nine years after its discovery, the hoard was purchased by the British Museum, where it resides to this day.[2]Description
Given the large number of prestigious items in the treasure, it probably belonged to a noble lady of high rank from the Lombardic court. It includes a blue glass drinking horn, two greenish-blue small amphoras, a gilded fan-shaped silver brooch, a gold and garnet encrusted S-shaped brooch, a simple gold cross and a pair of earrings with triple pendants. A number of other items (including a pin, beads, coins, another drinking horn and a third brooch) were not purchased by the museum at the time; their current whereabouts is unknown.
Gallery
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One of the two drinking horns from the treasure
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Two small glass amphora that date from Roman times
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The large Lombardic brooch with the terminal in the shape of an animal's head
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Plain gold cross, which indicates that the person buried was Christian
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Pair of matching earrings with triple pendants
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S-shaped cloisonné brooch with representations of eagles
See also
References
Further reading
- S. Marzinzik, Masterpieces: Early Medieval Art (London, British Museum Press, 2013)
- T.W. Potter and A.C. King, Excavations at the Mola di Mon (British School at Rome London in association with the British Museum, 1997)