This type of belt buckle may have been used by
Byzantine military forces during the 7th century
A.D. Belts of this shape seem to have been an
obligatory part of the uniform of the Byzantine
cavalry starting in the 6th century A.D. Not only
was this style buckle used for belts, but also to
hold the edges of funerary dress in the mid 6th
century A.D. Thus, this buckle may have once
held the garments of a soldier in place while
riding off to defend the borders of his empire. It
may have also secured the dress of a deceased
maiden who departed from life prematurely.
Buckles are a basic, yet wholly necessary,
creation of civilized societies. They both serve a
practical, functional purpose, yet also decorate
and adorn the very garments they are meant to
hold in place. This buckle is a reminder of the
Byzantine era where Christianity first triumphed
over the lands of Europe and the Near East.
- (CK.0173)
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