Ostrogothic Eagle Brooch

Replica of an Ostrogothic eagle brooch with cloisonné.

Here you can buy a detailed replica of a Gothic eagle brooch of the Migration Period, modelled on the so-called Ossmannstedt brooch.

This Ostrogothic eagle brooch comes from a richly decorated grave of a young Gothic noblewoman from around 500 AD.
In 6th century Europe, only high-born women adorned themselves with these precious eagle-shaped brooches.

The front of the eagle brooch was decorated with gold cell work on gold-plated silver foil and almandines. In contrast to the historical eagle brooch, this replica is not decorated with genuine amaldine cloisonné, but with translucent red glass enamel.

The unique feature of this Ostrogothic eagle brooch, however, is the reverse, where the goldsmith has engraved the plumage in a naturalistic form, which is unusual for Gothic eagle brooches and indicates the high status of the wearer. The clasp probably comes from a Byzantine workshop.

Link to the original eagle brooch...

On the back of the Ostrogothic eagle brooch is a sturdy pin with a spiral spring, which gives the pin the necessary tension and makes the clasp suitable for thick woollen fabrics.

There are three eyelets on the underside of the brooch in the extension of the tail, to which a chain hanger can be attached.

In addition to a left-facing brooch, you can also buy a right-facing model. This allows the clasps to be worn in pairs on the shoulders, as was customary among the eastern Goths of the Migration Period. Here they held the peplos, the traditional Germanic women's garment.

You can buy this brooch in high-quality bronze or genuine silver-plated.
Alternatively, also available in 925 sterling silver (please note the delivery time).
Alloy...

Dimensions of the eagle brooch replica: 6.5 x 3 x 0.5 cm.

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The golden eagle brooch from Ossmannstedt belonged to the costume of a young, approximately 25-year-old Ostrogothic noblewoman who apparently died while travelling in Thuringia. She was buried there with her precious grave goods in a wooden coffin, as befitted a woman of the Ostrogothic elite.

According to the Hunnish custom, which was also widespread among the Goths, her skull had already been deformed as a child by strapping the head, giving it an elongated shape and emphasising her high aristocratic status.

The grave contained several pieces of gold jewellery as well as a 1.20 m long gold chain to which an eagle-shaped brooch was attached. The Gothic eagle brooch was found in the pelvic area of the deceased and was characterised by its elaborate manufacturing technique.

The grave is dated to between 454 and 489 AD, the time of the decline of Hun rule and the migration of the Ostrogoths to Italy, and is a remarkable testimony to Germanic equestrian-nomadic relations in the 2nd half of the 5th century.

The use of the eagle is a common element on the bird brooches of the Migration Period and was particularly widespread among Goths and Gepids. In the case of the Goths, the use of the eagle figure could be connected with their relatively early Christianisation in the middle of the 4th century.

The eagle is a symbol of the Christian sky in early Christianity and stands symbolically for the resurrection of Christ as saviour or bearer of salvation, as well as the comprehensive power of God over creation. The eagle was therefore also a sign of baptised believers, and the wearers of the eagle brooches may have used it to express their Christian beliefs.

Gothic eagle brooches were worn in pairs as well as individually. As a rule, they were part of the women's costume as paired brooches, whereby they were symmetrically attached to the shoulders or chest, similar to what was common in other Germanic cultures.

However, there is also evidence of individual eagle brooches that were used either as a fastening for a garment or as a representative individual piece. Individual finds of male burials with eagle fibulae are also documented, where these were presumably worn by high-ranking men as status symbols or signs of their position.