A sculpt of the late 11th century Pitney Brooch decorates the gently domed pewter lid of a wood container in handsomely figured rengas, mimicking the artefact’s convex surface.

Found in Britain, the openwork brooch, in gilt copper alloy, depicts a coiled ribbon-like animal with a beaded dorsal design biting its own body, while a snake, with two prominent eyes, bites the animal’s neck.

About the collection
A project with the British Museum, this collaboration draws on the public institution’s vast collection of over 8 million artefacts, documenting the story of human culture from its earliest days to the present. Each piece is marked with the British Museum logotype.