**Originally Listed At $4000**

Eastern Europe, Balkan Peninsula, Avar culture, ca. 5th to 8th century CE. A superb array of 22 various bronze and leaded-bronze ornamented belt fittings cast by the Avars, equestrian nomads and warriors. These bronze pieces are elaborate and skillfully worked, each presenting scrolling vines, spirals, or griffin motifs with a dark green and russet patina enveloping the surfaces. The 8 elongated and tongue-shaped mounts are chip-carved with either vine-scrolls or roundels, and at the end of most are attachment lugs or open slots. The rest of the collection likely served as buckles or decorative fittings, several of these have larger openings or piercings for prongs or pins and some retain the original rivet nails. Avar metalsmiths created high-quality bronze and other precious metal adornments, as demonstrated with this group, and these artisans were highly respected and elite members of society. Size of largest: 4.75" L x 1.25" W (12.1 cm x 3.2 cm)

The Avars were a group of equestrian nomads of Altaic extraction who established an empire spanning considerable areas of Central and Eastern Europe from the late 6th to the early 9th century. They were ruled by a Khagan, who led a tight-knit entourage of professional nomad warriors. Although the name Avar first appeared in the mid-5th century, the Avars of Europe enter the historical scene in the mid-6th century CE, having formed as a mixed band of warriors in the Pontic-Caspian steppe. Their linguistic affiliation may be tentatively deduced from a variety of sources, betraying a variety of languages spoken by ruling and subject clans. Oghur, a distinct branch of the Turkic languages, figures prominently for the original Avar language. Slavic ultimately became the lingua franca in the Avar Khaganate.

For a similar example of this type, please see the British Museum's website, museum number: 1997,0209.2.

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Provenance: ex-Royal Athena Galleries; ex-Munich art market, 2008; ex-private German collection

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#171581

Some softening to finer details and a few chips or losses to openwork and buckle prong, but overall excellent condition. Age related surface pitting with a lovely green and russet patina.