Cleveland Museum of Art

Fibula (Pin)

Date

400–200 BCE

Medium

gold

Culture

South Italy, Campania

Department

Greek and Roman Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

This extravagant fibula, likely used to fasten garments, is decorated with gold rosettes and vines. An enormous leech-shaped bow and pin form the body of the fibula. A band of rosettes adorns the center of the bow. Above the bow, a gold plaque is adorned with an eight-petaled flower and palmette filigree. A gold bead, perhaps representing a pomegranate, tops the plaque. The bead is crowned with oblong petals and sprouting leaves. This fibula’s elaborate surface includes soldered gold wire and granulated spheres.

The authoritative record is held by Cleveland Museum of Art. LinkedCulture surfaces this object and its connections; it does not alter institutional metadata.