Lombard Shield Mounts of Horsemen, c. 7th century, found at Stabio, Switzerland

Bargello Museum, Florence, Italy.

Photo by Sailko

Discovered at Stabio, Switzerland, in 1837, the grave finds were sold to various buyers. In Grave 1 were the metal mounts of a shield, a gold leaf cross, a spatha, and a lance, as well as a bronze vessel at the feet of the deceased. The bulk of the shield mounts ended up in the Historical Museum of Bern; the portrayal of one horseman arrived via a roundabout path in the Museo Nationale del Bargello in Florence; and the portrayal of one dog went to the Museo Civico di Bellinzona. The mounts were originally attached to a convex wooden shield, which may have been covered with leather and probably had a diameter of 60 to 70 cm. They consist of fire-gilt sheet bronze and display a row of surviving rivets with which they were affixed to the wooden shield.

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