Domagnano Treasure

The Domagnano Treasure is an important Ostrogothic hoard found at Domagnano, Republic of San Marino in the late nineteenth century. The treasure is now divided among various institutions, including the Louvre Abu Dhabi, although the bulk of the hoard is currently held by the British Museum in London and the Germanisches Nationalmuseum in Nuremberg.

Discovery

The treasure was apparently discovered in 1892–1893 at the Lagucci farm near Domagnano in the Republic of San Marino. The exact circumstances of its discovery remain unclear, but it is thought that the hoard was part of one or more graves. The Domagnano Treasure is largely composed of a set of jewellery from the 5th or 6th centuries that may have belonged to an Ostrogothic princess or noble lady of high rank.

Description

The Domagnano Treasure seems to have been made for a royal client as the purity of the precious metals used in its manufacture and the quality of the craftsmanship are very high. The design of some of the jewellery incorporates Christian motifs and also reflects contemporary fashions from the Byzantine Empire and the Gothic period. The treasure is now divided among various museums, as follows:

*Germanisches Nationalmuseum in Nuremberg: A fibula in the shape of an eagle, an earring, five pendants from a necklace and a cicada fibula (in the shape of an insect).

*British Museum : An earring, three pendants from a necklace, a large and small mount, a pair of knife sheaths, a finger ring, a gold hair pin with flat disk head and a chain necklace.

*Museo di Stato di San Marino: A small mount.
*Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York: A pendant from a necklace.Metropolitan Museum
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* Louvre Abu Dhabi: A fibula in the shape of an eagle

Gallery

Image:Arte ostrogota, orecchino, da domagnano, san marino, 500 ca.JPG, Gold earring with sub-pendants in the shape of an insect (BM)
Image:Arte ostrogota, spilla per capelli, da domagnano, san marino, 500 ca.JPG, Gold pin with circular disk from a head dress (BM)
Image:Arte ostrogota, anello con granata, da domagnano, san marino, 500 ca.JPG, Gold finger ring with garnet inlay (BM)
Image:Arte ostrogota, due montature con motivi cristiani, da domagnano, san marino, 500 ca.JPG, Two mounts, possibly for a purse (BM)
Image:Arte ostrogota, tre pendenti e una catena d'oro, da domagnano, san marino, 500 ca.JPG, Chain and three necklace pendants from the treasure (BM)
Image:Arte ostrogota, due punte per fodero di coltello, da domagnano, san marino, 500 ca.JPG, Pair of identical of gold knife chapes (BM)
Image:Pendenti per collana, arte ostrogota da domagnano (s. marino), 500 ca.JPG, Five of the necklace pendants (one slightly damaged) (GNM)
Image:Orecchino a pendente, arte ostrogota da domagnano (s. marino), 500 ca.JPG, Similar earring to the BM example but with a single sub-pendant (GNM)
Image:Fibula a forma di cicala, arte ostrogota da domagnano (s. marino), 500 ca.JPG, A fibula in the shape of an insect (GNM)
Image:Fibula a forma d'aquila, arte ostrogota da domagnano (s. marino), 500 ca.JPG, One of a pair of brooches in the shape of an eagle that are both 12 cm long (GNM)

See also

* Sutton Hoo
* Sutri Treasure
* Artres Treasure
* Bergamo Treasure

References

Further reading

*M. Nawroth, 'Der Fund von Domagnano, Republik San Marino' in Anzeiger des Germanischen National Museum (2000), pp. 89–101
*S. Marzinzik, Masterpieces: Early Medieval Art (London, British Museum Press, 2013)
*D. Kidd, 'Il tesoro di Domagnano' in I Goti a San Marino. Il Tesoro (Milan, 1995)

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Medieval European objects in the British Museum
Medieval European metalwork objects
Domagnano
Collection of the Germanisches Nationalmuseum
5th-century artifacts
Treasure troves of Medieval Europe