These are
part of a form of belt buckle. They are not a dragon, but an S. Very few have the dots and most are actually round in cross-section. They link to plain round
rings (as here), or buckle plates, either D-shaped or square with perforated decorations and a loop on one
side.
The are found in northern
Serbia, northern
Bulgaria, eastern
Romania and the Crimea.
They are generally dated to the second half of the 5th century (but were used into the 6th) and are associated with the Ostrogoths who migrated into the lower Danube at that time from the Crimea region.
Aleksander
Stanev, Elementi na germanskija fibule kostjum na
jug ot dunav (Elements of Germanic
Fibulae and Costume from South of the Danube), page 229-236.
SC
