7th c. gold and garnet disc brooch found in Germany

An elaborate 7th century silver, gold and garnet disc brooch discovered in Rostock on the Baltic coast of Germany is being hailed as one of the most important finds on 2024. It was discovered by a volunteer metal detectorist working with the State Office for Culture and Monument Preservation to explore a field near the small town of Reez.

The brooch is made of gold-plated silver with garnet cloisonné. The cloisons (the wire cells that the garnets were set into) were backed with gold foil and the very hard garnet gemstones precision-cut to fit the cloisons. The foil backing gave the stones extra depth and shine. The cloisonné garnets are arranged in a decorative pattern that looks like a geometric entwined snakes surrounding the perimeter of the ovoid shape. The cells are rectangular with curved outer sides that terminate in kite-shaped garnets — the heads of the snake. Right before the heads are cabochon garnets instead of the flat cloisonné. There were four originally, one before each “head,” but only two survive. Four cloisons in a semi-circular arrangement curve from cabochon to cabochon on each side. A single cloison connects the two semi-circles in the center of the brooch.

Jewelry like this was prohibitively expensive and was the exclusive province of the Germanic elite during the Migration Period when this brooch was produced. Only 11 other brooches of this style have been found in the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.

The brooch is considered to be extremely valuable. Pieces like the garment brooch are known primarily from the Rhineland and Sweden, where they were found in particularly richly decorated noble graves. The precious piece of jewelry found in MV raises questions. How did the piece get to the Mecklenburg Baltic coast? Was there a wealthy upper class in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern during the Migration Period, which is considered a time of hardship?

* This article was originally published here