As I am not a jeweler or an armory specialist, I enlisted the assistance of a master craftsman to aid me in my pursuit of Byzantine fashion. We determined that bronze was a readily used medium throughout the Byzantine era. It was used for varied jewelry items and belt fastenings(Fig. 4) and therefore was a viable option when formalizing my buckle reconstruction. Gold was metal that would have been used for those of high ranking and station.
Figure 5 Jeweled Bracelet (one of pair), |
Figure 6 Copper Wire lacing method |
Conclusion
In the pursuit of historically accurate Byzantine fashion I have attempted to recreate a Royal Byzantine belt that was worn by women of state and the upper class of the Byzantine Empire. The luxury in having an item that can only be found in mosaics, frescoes and effigies is I am left to create this item through my own artistic interpretation. The difficulty is developing a sound and valid theory of construction that could be possible. Below please find some of my inspiration.
Figure 9 BYZANTINE INTARSIA 11TH Century Saint Eudokia, Empress of Byzantium. From the church of Lips Monastery, now Fenasi Isa Mosque. End 10th-early 11th. Coloured stone inlay in marble. H:66 cm Inv.4309 T Archaeological Museum, Istanbul Turkey |
Figure 8 BYZANTINE MOSAIC 6TH Saint Justine carrying a crown - symbol of martyrs. Mosaic; 6th century CE Sant’Apolinare Nuovo, Ravenna, Italy |
Figure 7 BYZANTINE MURAL 5TH Portrait of baby Nonnosa. Palaeochristian (5th century) San Gennaro Catacombs, Naples Italy |
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