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 [1], although the bulk of the hoard is currently held by the British Museum in London and the Germanisches Nationalmuseum in Nuremberg.[2]

Domagnano Treasure
Part of the Domagnano Treasure displayed in the British Museum
MaterialGold and precious stones
CreatedLate 5th - early 6th Centuries AD
Period/cultureOstrogothic
Present locationBritish Museum
Identification1933,0405.1–11

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).[3]
  • 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.[4]
  • Gold earring with sub-pendants in the shape of an insect (BM)
  • Gold pin with circular disk from a head dress (BM)
  • Gold finger ring with garnet inlay (BM)
  • Two mounts, possibly for a purse (BM)
  • Chain and three necklace pendants from the treasure (BM)
  • Pair of identical of gold knife chapes (BM)
  • Five of the necklace pendants (one slightly damaged) (GNM)
  • Similar earring to the BM example but with a single sub-pendant (GNM)
  • A fibula in the shape of an insect (GNM)
  • One of a pair of brooches in the shape of an eagle that are both 12 cm long (GNM)
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See also

References
  1. Un reperto di San Marino nel Louvre di Abu Dhabi
  2. British Museum Highlights
  3. Germanisches Nationamuseum
  4. British Museum Collection
  5. Metropolitan Museum

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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