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These are four Byzantine Composite Archer's Belt Mounts, c. 7th century A.D. A group of four silver carinated mounts for composite belts three with lugs, a pair of mounts with scalloped centres and fishtail arms, one with stylised eye and feather detailing; one incomplete mount. Provenance: Acquired in London in 1982. Property of a central London gentleman. The artefacts are in fine condition and measures 14mm – 18mm tall.
References: Cf. Arena, M.S., Delogu, P., Paroli, L., Ricci, M., Sagui, L.,Venditelli, L., Roma, dall'Antichita' al Medioevo, Archeologia e Storia, Roma, 2001, item II.4.741, for the type of bifurcated terminal with eagle heads.
Comments notes: Archaeology, confirmed by pictorial and literary sources, has preserved beautiful specimens of composite military belts from Africa, Italy, Hungary, Greece, Constantinople and the territories around the Black Sea, Albania, Bulgaria and Balkans. From the second quarter of the 6th century, Byzantine soldiers wore so-called composite belts, formed of fittings and pendants of silver, gold, bronze and gilded bronze. Such girdles, especially the golden ones, were probably influenced by the metalwork of the Germanic and Steppes peoples. Vandal warriors of the beginning of the 6th century represented themselves, in the Carthage mosaics, wearing pendant belts. There is also a passage of Procopius (BV, IV, 9) describing the distributions of gold belts, booty of the Vandalic war, gifted from Belisarius to the people during his triumph.
Price: £50.00
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