Merovingian Buckle and Trapezoidal Plate, Northern Gaul circa 600–630 AD.

Merovingian Buckle and Trapezoidal Plate with Five Bosses

Northern Gaul, circa 600–630 AD

Measurements: 13.1 × 6.5 cm.
Material: Cast copper-alloy with tinned “false silver” surface.

A large and finely cast Merovingian belt buckle composed of a rectangular loop, anthropomorphic barb, and trapezoidal plate with five applied domed bosses. The surface is engraved with linear and geometric ornament, including stylised interlace motifs and borders of repeating hatchwork. The basal shield of the barb encloses a subtle anthropomorphic mask in relief, characteristic of early 7th-century Frankish workmanship. Traces of tinning survive across the surface, evoking the appearance of silver.

This form, known as Type 174 after Legoux et al. (2016), represents the most characteristic style of Frankish buckle from early 7th-century Northern Gaul. Such pieces were worn by both men and women and are among the most elaborate expressions of personal dress accessories of the Merovingian elite. Buckles with rectangular loops are particularly associated with the Aisne region of northern France, where numerous parallels have been recovered from richly furnished burials.

Comparisons
A closely related example was excavated at the Merovingian cemetery of Cugny (Aisne), published in Jules Pilloy, Études sur d’anciens lieux de sépultures dans l’Aisne (1880), p. 30. Another buckle of the same group, found at Monceau-le-Neuf-et-Faucouzy (Aisne), belonged to the collection of Johannes von Diergardt (1859–1934) and is now in the Museum für Vor- und Frühgeschichte, Berlin (Schätze aus Europas Frühzeit: Der Sammler und Mäzen Johannes Freiherr von Diergardt, p. 105, fig. 118).

Provenance
Artcurial, Paris, 2 November 2021, lot 72.
Former collection of Docteur Bernard Coiffu, Paris, acquired from Galerie Serres, Paris, 9 October 1993.