Browse Exhibits (2 total)
Brooches of the Late Empire
When looking for artifacts that reflect the later years of the Roman Empire, there are many to choose from. Coins can denote years and emperors, pottery can show the lifestyle of citizens, ordinary and elite. However, brooches offer a unique insight. They served as markers, and these markers could either be of status, rank, or sub-servitude. Many people of importance had brooches, ranging from civil servants to military officials. Naturally, once the elite saw these fascinating pieces of jewelry, they too incorporated them into their dress style. Often ornate, each type of brooch can be examined based off its location within the empire, its material, and any inscriptions or decorations. A major question this then posed was “What kinds of brooches were there in the late empire, and what did these brooches reflect?” and that is what this exhibit tries to examine.
The Vrap Treasure
The hoard of precious metalwork objects known either as the Vrap Treasure or the Avar Treasure was found in the site known today as Vrap, a village in central Albania. The treasure itself is comprised of a number of gold and silver vessels and a large number of gilded adornments, mostly belt fittings, which were all seemingly found collected inside a cauldron in Vrap. While the exact time and nature of their discovery seems to be unknown, the treasure was in the possession of a J. Pierpont Morgan until 1917, after which point it was given to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, where it is still held today in Gallery 301.
Further information about the Avars and the treasure itself can be explored through the links to the right.