Gold Strip
Unknown Artist
700s
Medium
Gold
Dimensions
23 7/16 × 1/8 × 1/16 in., 0.707 Troy Ounces (59.6 × 0.3 × 0.1 cm, 22g)
Classification
Metalwork-Gold
Culture
Avar
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917
Accession Number
17.190.1645
Art Historical Context
Behold the delicate *Gold Strip*, a shimmering artifact from the 700s crafted by an unknown Avar artisan. This slender piece of pure gold measures just 23 7/16 × 1/8 × 1/16 inches and weighs a mere 0.707 Troy ounces, exemplifying the finesse of early medieval metalwork. Displayed in the Metropolitan Museum Art's Medieval Art department it entered the collection as a gift from J Pierpont Morgan in 7, highlighting its enduring allure. Hailing from the Avar—a nomadic confederation that dominated the Carpathian Basin from the 6th to 9th centuries—this strip reflects the Avars' mastery of goldsmit...