1. Byzantine Pectoral with Coins at The MET
Pectoral with Coins and Pseudo-Medallion at the Metropolitan Museum of Art features coins with images of Byzantine emperors. Image from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, in public domain.
On view at the Metropolitan Museum of Art is a pure gold neck ring made of coins estimated to have been made in 500 AD. These rings were believed to be used to honor military heroes at coronations. The pectoral was found in Egypt but was originally made in Constantinople as, according to the Met, “a personification of that city is depicted on the reverse of the central medallion.”
The coins within the medallion feature illustrations of Byzantine emperors, and the rings below the pectoral’s edge once held a medallion of the emperor Theodosius I. Imagery suggest this golden neck ring is a “collection of military trophies that once belonged to a distinguished general or a member of the imperial court.”
Next, check out 18 Art Installations and Exhibits Not to Miss in NYC in September 2017.