Belts in the Middle Ages and Renaissance

	Belts & Girdles
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Belts and girdles are fairly common in illustrations and portraiture from the Middle Ages and Renaissance, so this page instead focuses on extant examples of various styles. For more on belts and belt-buckles, see these links. The so-called belt of St. Madelberte, woven silk, 7th century Belt from a Coptic grave in Akkim, 8th-11th century A Viking-age belt Belt: A strap-fitting with three leather straps, late 10th-early 11th century Woven silk belt with bar-shaped mounts, c. 1250-1325; buckle and belt-end are c. 1450 Belt of Fernando de la Cerda, cloth of gold with silver-gilt mounts and enamel, sapphires, and pearls, c. 1270 (also here) Belts from the Colmar treasure, first half of the 15th century. See also: Belt from the Colmar treasure, first half of the 14th century (also here, here, here, and here) Belt from the Colmar treasure, silver-gilt mounts (alternating between women's heads and roses) on silk, first half of the 14th century (also here and here) The Branko belt, silk embroidered in gold and silver, Byzantium, mid-14th century Girdle of basse taille enamel and silver-gilt plaques, mounted on a woven band, made in 14th century Italy (possibly Venice) Belt for a lady's dress, Siena, c. 1375-1400 Belt of Friedrichs von Greifenstein, silver with gold plating, 1386 Belts from the 14th-15th centuries Ten enamelled silver-gilt plaques for a belt, France, 15th century Dominican belt, leather with ivory, France, 15th century Silk belt with enamelled buckle and end-plate, Flanders or Burgundy, c. 1450 (also here and here) Lady's belt, silk with silver and garnets, end of the 15th century St. Waudru's belt, brass with enamel and silver-gilt, 15th-16th century Belt of the doorkeeper of the Star Chamber, leather, c. 1500 Bride's girdle, Germany, 16th century Jewish bride's belt, silver and bronze with gilding, Germany, 16th century Belt, Safavid Persia (Tabriz), 1507 Belt made by Domenico de Sutrio, 1509 Belt, Germany, 1520 (also here) Girdle, engraved silver, c. 1524-1525 Decorative braid thought to have been used as a woman's girdle, Italy or France, c. 1540-1580 Women’s girdle with hexagram pendant, gilt on silver, enamel, rock crystal; German, c. 1550 Silver belt with knife and sheath, Rappersweil, c. 1576-1600 Silver girdle belt, Germany, late 16th-early 17th century Lady's silver girdle with the Annunciation, Magdeburg, c. 1600 Lady's silver girdle with the Annunciation, Magdeburg, c. 1600 Silver girdle, southern Germany, c. 1600 Silver girdle with gilding, made in Sweden c. 1600 Girdle, silver-gilt and enamel, early 17th century Belt and hanger, cast and pierced silver, 17th century Highland sword belt, 17th century Turkish belt, 17th century Belt, engraved gold, c. 1650

Belts & Girdles

Gold and Gilt, Pots and Pins: Possessions and People in Medieval Britain

Belts and girdles are fairly common in illustrations and portraiture from the Middle Ages and Renaissance, so this page instead focuses on extant examples of various styles.

For more on belts and belt-buckles, see these links.

The so-called belt of St. Madelberte, woven silk, 7th century
Belt from a Coptic grave in Akkim, 8th-11th century
A Viking-age belt
Belt: A strap-fitting with three leather straps, late 10th-early 11th century
Woven silk belt with bar-shaped mounts, c. 1250-1325; buckle and belt-end are c. 1450
Belt of Fernando de la Cerda, cloth of gold with silver-gilt mounts and enamel, sapphires, and pearls, c. 1270 (also here)
Belts from the Colmar treasure, first half of the 15th century. See also:
Belt from the Colmar treasure, first half of the 14th century (also here, here, here, and here)
Belt from the Colmar treasure, silver-gilt mounts (alternating between women's heads and roses) on silk, first half of the 14th century (also here and here)
The Branko belt, silk embroidered in gold and silver, Byzantium, mid-14th century
Girdle of basse taille enamel and silver-gilt plaques, mounted on a woven band, made in 14th century Italy (possibly Venice)
Belt for a lady's dress, Siena, c. 1375-1400
Belt of Friedrichs von Greifenstein, silver with gold plating, 1386
Belts from the 14th-15th centuries
Ten enamelled silver-gilt plaques for a belt, France, 15th century
Dominican belt, leather with ivory, France, 15th century
Silk belt with enamelled buckle and end-plate, Flanders or Burgundy, c. 1450 (also here and here)
Lady's belt, silk with silver and garnets, end of the 15th century
St. Waudru's belt, brass with enamel and silver-gilt, 15th-16th century
Belt of the doorkeeper of the Star Chamber, leather, c. 1500
Bride's girdle, Germany, 16th century
Jewish bride's belt, silver and bronze with gilding, Germany, 16th century
Belt, Safavid Persia (Tabriz), 1507
Belt made by Domenico de Sutrio, 1509
Belt, Germany, 1520 (also here)
Girdle, engraved silver, c. 1524-1525
Decorative braid thought to have been used as a woman's girdle, Italy or France, c. 1540-1580
Women’s girdle with hexagram pendant, gilt on silver, enamel, rock crystal; German, c. 1550
Silver belt with knife and sheath, Rappersweil, c. 1576-1600
Silver girdle belt, Germany, late 16th-early 17th century
Lady's silver girdle with the Annunciation, Magdeburg, c. 1600
Lady's silver girdle with the Annunciation, Magdeburg, c. 1600
Silver girdle, southern Germany, c. 1600
Silver girdle with gilding, made in Sweden c. 1600
Girdle, silver-gilt and enamel, early 17th century
Belt and hanger, cast and pierced silver, 17th century
Highland sword belt, 17th century
Turkish belt, 17th century
Belt, engraved gold, c. 1650