Eagle brooche (aquiliform fibulae)

These fibulae are shaped like simplified eagles with their wings spread and very curved beaks. The eye is made from a large blue cabochon. The whole surface is covered with small cells that hold bits of glass – mostly red – laid on top of gold leaf, adding sparkle to the pieces. The cells are different shapes and, in the centre, there is an almond shape that provides extra volume and plasticity. The coloured style, based on compositions of gold and precious stones, with the use of the cloisonné technique, originates in the eastern regions of the Black Sea and the Iranian provinces, arriving in the West at a time of significant migration. The material used in Hispano-Gothic aquiliform fibulae was bronze, with a golden covering, partially preserved in the pieces from Alovera. In addition to being real treasures and prestigious objects, these adornments for the female wardrobe are also practical, given their function of fastening clothing at shoulder level. It was a chance discovery in a cemetery linked to a Roman villa, very close to Azuqueca de Henares (Guadalajara)