European copper alloy multiple spiral fibula

Bronze Age, circa 12th-10th Century BC
length: 35 cm
 
A fine example of a beautifully wrought spiral fibula from the late Bronze Age. Elaborate and unusually large, its size and heft suggest it was a high-status adornment, perhaps worn for ceremonial purposes. The central body is formed of a single wire, with four lateral sections of thinner wire attached by gold. The spiral motif was prevalent in the Late Bronze Age throughout Europe; pieces similar to this have been found in the Balkan region. 
 
Provenance: Hungarian private collection; Gorny & Mosch, Germany, 1998; with Harmakhis Gallery, Belgium, acquired by the present owner from above in 2015