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Merovingian gold jewelry
Merovingian gold jewelry is the collective term for gold ornaments and fittings excavated from Frankish noble tombs of the seventh to eighth centurie…
Timeline
- 701–750Rhineland · RhinelandDuring the Merovingian 'rois fainéants' period, central royal authority declined; local nobles in the Rhineland and Champagne regions flaunted wealth through lavish burials, with numerous gold fibulae and bracelets excavated, reflecting the coexistence of Germanic funeral traditions and Christian burial customs.
- 751–800Soissons · FranceAfter Pepin replaced the last Merovingian king, the Carolingian family inherited and transformed Merovingian gold jewelry craft traditions; court workshops and monastic gold and silver production became increasingly standardized in the later eighth century, laying the craft foundation for the Carolingian Renaissance.
- 701–800Marseille · ProvenceFiligree, granulation, and gem-setting techniques in Merovingian gold jewelry absorbed Byzantine and Islamic gold and silver influences transmitted via Spain, entering the Frankish heartland through Mediterranean ports and church networks.
Sources
- Die Merowingerzeit: Kunst und Archäologie — Wilhelm Holmqvist (1977)
- Early Medieval Art — Lawrence Nees (2002)