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Square-Headed Fibula
From surviving depictions, we know that these "fibulae" or brooches were worn by men on their shoulders with the square part facing upwards. Depending on the style of the garment or mantle, one or two of these brooches were used to hold it in place. The size and intricacy of this example makes it likely that it belonged to a high-ranking state or church official.
Provenance
Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object.
William Eadkins; Sale, Sothebys, London, May 21-25, 1891, lot 585; Pitt Rivers Museum, Farnham, Dorset, England; Walters Art Museum, 1975, by purchase.
Exhibitions
| 2010 | Bedazzled: 5,000 Years of Jewelry. El Paso Museum of Art, El Paso. |
| 2006-2009 | Bedazzled: 5,000 Years of Jewelry from the Walters Art Museum. Frist Center for the Visual Arts, Nashville; The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, Sarasota; The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore. |
| 2002-2005 | Realms of Faith: Medieval and Byzantine Art from the Walters Art Museum. Frist Center for the Visual Arts, Nashville. |
| 2001-2002 | Realms of Faith: Medieval and Byzantine Art from the Walters Art Museum. Frist Center for the Visual Arts, Nashville. |
| 1979-1980 | Jewelry - Ancient to Modern. The Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore. |
Geographies
East Anglia (Place of Origin)
Measurements
L: 5 1/2 x W: 2 11/16 x D: 13/16 in. (14 x 6.8 x 2.1 cm)
Credit Line
Museum purchase, 1975
Location in Museum
Not on view
Accession Number
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
54.2508