Early Medieval Merovingian bronze belt mount or counter plate / FOR SALE

An early medieval bronze belt mount or counterplate, originating from France and dating approximately to the 6th–8th century AD. The design is executed in a highly stylized, abstract manner and can be interpreted as either an anthropomorphic face or a zoomorphic composition incorporating bird motifs.

The central vertical ridge may represent a nose or beak, while the flanking spiral and curved elements suggest stylized birds in profile, their heads turned inward toward the center. Such ambiguous imagery—where human and animal forms merge—is characteristic of early medieval visual language and is commonly associated with Merovingian and related continental traditions, in which birds often carried symbolic meanings related to protection, status, or the spiritual realm.

Material: Bronze
Date: Early Medieval period (c. 6th–8th century AD)
Size: 20 x 27mm
Condition: Fine condition

Share This: