Treasure of Guarrazar (votive crowns)

The Musée de Cluny preserves part of the Visigothic crowns discovered in Guarrazar, near Toledo in the 19th century (between 1858 and 1860).

These crowns and crosses are a masterpiece of the goldsmiths of the early kingdoms in the Mediaeval West, here influenced by Byzantine art.

Thanks to the pendant letters (now shared with the National Archaeological Museum of Madrid), the name of the Visigoth King Recceswinth, who reigned in Toledo from 653 to 672, was recreated. They were therefore probably royal offerings for Toledo Cathedral, symbolising the conversion of the Visigoths to Christianity.

In fact, these exceptional pieces of jewellery are a testament to the exquisite artistry of the craftsmen from the courts of the "barbarian" princes of the peoples during the great migrations of the 4th to 7th centuries. 

The treasure is believed to have been buried in 711 during the invasion of Spain by Arab-Berber troops. Over 1000 years later, their discovery was one of the most significant for understanding the mediaeval Iberian world.

Purchased by the government for the Musée de Cluny around 1860