The magnificent Dorestad Brooch, Carolingian period, c. 800.

Gold, almandine (a type of garnet), glass, enamel, and pearls, diameter 8.4 cm. A true treasure! This beautiful Carolingian brooch was found at the bottom of a well in the Netherlands in 1969. But how did it get there? Perhaps it was thrown there to be hidden during a Viking raid on the coast, and judging by the fact that it was not recovered, its owner perished.

The brooch was made c. 800, likely in a Swiss or Burgundian workshop. It is richly decorated using the cloisonné enamel technique. In the center is a large polished almandine in a gold frame, and around the edge are four smaller ones. The rim of the brooch is adorned with pearls—four relatively large ones and sixteen smaller ones. Alas, the pearl itself had already "died," having lost its luster.

Rijksmuseum van Oudheden, Inv. No. F1978/1.1, Leiden, Netherlands
Photo copyright the museum; first photo by Alexander Van Loon
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