Migrations of nomadic tribes into Roman empire. Mixing of pagan/Christian, Germanic/Greco-Roman, urban/nomadic traditions. 

I. ANIMAL STYLE AND METALWORK TECHNIQUE
Scythians. Earliest Northern European arts related to and derived from the portable art of nomads in central steppes of Asia--the Scythians who settled between the Don and Danube rivers in southern Russian and the Black Sea. Influenced by Greek and Iranian metalwork techniques and Chinese animal motifs.
-- Pectoral with scenes from Scythian life, 4th century B.C., gold, animal style.
-- Stag, from Kostromskaya, Russia, 6-7th century B.C., gold, repoussé technique.

II. EARLY MEDIEVAL ART IN ITALY
A. Visigoths. In the third century (269) the gothic peoples split into two groups (the Ostrogoths and the Visigoths) and began their migrations from the Crimean. The Ostrogoths, under their leader Theodoric the Great, remained Arian Christians and conquered Ravenna in 493 (see handout on Ravenna). Under the leader Alaric, the Visigoths sacked Rome in 410 and continued to move west into Gaul (France). They were driven out of Gaul in the fifth century by the Franks and settled in Spain. By 600 they had converted from Arianism to Catholicism. Their culture ended in 711 with the invasion of the Moors into Spain.
-- Eagle Fibulae, Visigothic Spain, 6th century, cloisonné technique, fibulae (Note: similarity of metalwork techniques shared by Germanic people)

B. Lombards. The Lombards under Albain migrated from Czechoslovakia into northern Italy in 568. Two separate armies gained control of Spoleto and Benevento. Theodolinda, wife of the Langobard king Agilulf, aided Pope Gregory the Great in converting the Langobards to Christianity in 590. Only when the Roman Pope appealed for help to the King of the Franks, Pepin (father of Charlemagne) in the eighth century, was he able to regain control over northern Italy.
-- Helmet frontal band of Agilulf, King of the Lombards, 590-615, king with body guards, winged victories, conquered paying tribute (Note: use of Roman representational vocabulary, cf. Missorium of Theodosius, 395)
-- Adoration of the Magi, Altar of Duke Ratchis, Cividale, c. 745 (cf. Adoration of the Magi, mosaic, Santa Maria Maggiore, Rome, c. 430)

C. The Pope and Byzantine Influence in the West. The Church remains the only major Roman institution to survive into the Early Middle Ages.

--Angel Appearing to Joseph, Castelseprio, fresco, c. 800- 850, executed by a Byzantine artist (perhaps migrated from Eastern Empire during Iconoclasm. cf. David Composing the Psalms, Paris Psalter, early 10th century 

III. EARLY MEDIEVAL ART IN THE BRITISH ISLES.
A. Anglo-Saxons. The Angles, Saxons, and Jutes invaded Britain in the mid fifth century from Germany and Denmark. Destruction of Roman organization and town life. Christianity strongest in monasteries. Conversions began with Saint Augustine, sent by Pope Gregory the Great in 597 to Canterbury. Kingston Brooch (see Gardner, illus. 11-2), Anglo Saxon, round fibula, cloisonné, 6th-7th centuries. 

SUTTON HOO SHIP BURIAL. A large treasure caché discovered in 1939 in ship burial (cenotaph) of King Raedwald who died 624-25. Description of ship burial found in Beowulf.
-- Purse Lid, 7th century, ivory or bone ground attached to leather purse (now destroyed), lidded cloisonné, millefiore technique
cf. Daniel and Lions Den from Sarcophagus of Junius Bassus, early Christian, 4th century.
-- Gold Belt Buckle, 7th century, gold, interlace pattern , filigree around gold bosses, animal style
-- Byzantine silver dish, dated by silver stamps to reign of Emperor Anastasius I (491-518); spoons with Greek inscriptions of Paul and Saul 

B. Hiberno-Saxon. Hiberno-Saxon art is a result of the fusion of Anglo-Celtic, Germanic, and Christian elements via the Irish missions. Christianity was first established in Ireland by Saint Patrick in 385 (he founded the monastery of Armagh). Saint Columba (521-97) continued the work of Patrick and founded monasteries at Durrow and Iona (Scotland). Saint Columbanus (543-615) succeeded Saint Columba and founded Irish monasteries on the continent. The Synod of Whitby in 664 established Roman rite over Irish rite.

--Bronze Mirror, Celtic, 1st century, Tara Brooch, Ireland, c. 700

--Book of Durrow, Irish, (Carpet page and Symbol of Saint Matthew) c. 660-80, monastery founded at Durrow by Saint Columba (died 597), Irish majuscule, based on the Diatessaron of Tatian, c. 150-200.

--Lindisfarne Gospels, (Portrait of Saint Matthew, and Carpet page with a cross)c. 700, Northumbrian, monastery of Lindisfarne founded by Ardan in 635, colophon of Aldred states that manuscript was made by Eadfrith for Saint Cuthbert, Irish uncial, source was Codex Grandior of Cassiodorus

-- Codex Amiatinus, (Ezra Restoring the Bible), 716, Northumbrian, monastery of Wearmouth and Jarrow founded by Benedict Biscop, Coelfrith took manuscript to Rome but did not reach destination, classical uncial, copy of Roman manuscript, the Codex Grandior of Cassiodorus, brought by Benedict Biscop from Rome 

-- High Cross of Muiredach, Monasterboice, Ireland, early 10th century.

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