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Description
This fibula (pin), used for closing or securing garments, is a masterpiece of ancient gold-working. Tiny animals and figures, mythical and real, cover the pin. They were formed using tiny beads of gold (a process called granulation) fashioned in a fluid, curving style reminiscent of pottery of the seventh century BCE, when the Etruscans reached the height of their technical virtuosity in granulation. In the center of the decoration is a figure common in Etruscan art: the ‘master of the beasts,’ a winged man with two faces. The figure originated in the Near East and became especially prominent in Etruscan art during this period. 7th century BCE
Publication Date
12-10-2012
Publisher
RISD Museum
City
Providence, Rhode Island
Keywords
Rhode Island School of Design Museum; Etruscan; jewelry; Mythology; animals; gold; granulation; Master of the Beasts
Disciplines
Metal and Jewelry Arts
Recommended Citation
RISD Museum; Bally, Boris; and Migliori, Jonathan, "Pin (Fibula)" (2012). Channel. 11.
https://digitalcommons.risd.edu/risdmuseum_channel/11