Gold Miniature Buckle

AN00032847_001_l. Gold sheet openwork sub-oval miniature buckle, with extensive filigree decoration in plain and beaded wire. Two opposed pairs of linked bird heads with incised hooked beaks enclose a rectangular central panel containing interlacing snakes on a two-part base. The filigree overlies a repoussé openwork base soldered to a separate flat sheet, which is soldered to the underside of the buckle, filling a rectangular cut-out. An additional foil patch secures this on the back, where small right-angled hooks (L. 0.3 cm) attached the buckle to thick fabric or leather. All these images are © Trustees of the British Museum. These free low-resolution images are covered also under the British Museum's Terms and Conditions (http://www.britishmuseum.org/about_this_site/terms_of_use/free_image_service.aspx). The full image collection is available at: http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/search_the_collection_database.aspx where you can also order high resolution copies.