Gilt Silver, 2.98 grams, 44.21 mm. 6th Century AD. A high-status silver-gilt pin of exceptional quality. The three-quarter side-view shows the thickness of the pin’s shaft and the defined ‘hip’ towards the end which would have helped the pin to stay in place. The thickness of the head, in the form of a circular disc, is also clear in this view. The top-view shows the head’s design – a field of gilded silver surrounded by a beaded filigree border, with beaded filigree trails spaced rhythmically around the field. The trails are two opposed u-shapes ending in coiled heads, with a further 6-shaped trail at the lower part and a S-shaped counterpart above. Pins of such richness are typical of early Christian religious sites, where the influence of royal ladies on clothing design was paramount. Reference: Webster, L. & Backhouse, J. The Making of England. Anglo-Saxon Art and Culture AD 600-900, London, 1991, p.85 item 66(i) and (k). Published: Hammond, Brett. British Artefacts, volume I - Early Anglo-Saxon. Extremely Fine condition. Ex. Bonhams; 13.10.2006, Lot 226.