Textile Ornaments(?): Pair of Phoenixes

Two mirror-image phoenixes of thin beaten gold stand on single legs against a dark ground. Each bird spreads its wings and curls a flame-like tail, with a cut floral spray above. The chased lines and cut-out openings suggest the pieces were once sewn onto fabric as ornaments.

Look closer: Small punched holes along the wings and tail edges where the ornaments were once attached.

Artist

Unknown

Date

c. 700s

Medium

beaten gold with chased detail

Source

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Size

3400 × 2290 px

Credit (appreciated, not required for public-domain works): The Cleveland Museum of Art, Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund