Ca. 500-700 AD. Western Europe, Merovingian, Migration Period. A beautiful gilded silver belt buckle with inset garnets. Excellent condition. At the time of the fall of the Roman Empire, other cultures began to evolve, grow and eventually prosper and their culture and art thrived. The Merovingians (476–750 AD) were one such group and they are traditionally reckoned as the “first race” of the kings of France. Good condition. For more information on Merovingian buckles and belts, see Effros, B. & Moreira, I. (2020). The Oxford Handbook of the Merovingian World. Oxford University Press, 916ff. Size: L:30mm / W:43mm ; 16.3g.Provenance: Property of a European gentleman, formerly acquired on the UK Art Market in the 1990s.