The Branko Belt, late Byzantine, mid-14th century
This beautiful textile takes its name from the Cyrillic letters within every third quatrefoil . They read BRANKO, which probably refers to Sebastocra tor Branco Mladenovic , a magnate at the court of the Serbian Tsar Stefan Dusan (1331-55). Serbian aristocrat s of this period are known to have worn very long and elaborate belts with looped ends and it is possible that this was such a piece.