sterling silver and niello
shield-shaped shoe buckle
ni·el·lo
(nē-ĕl′ō)n. pl. ni·el·li (-ĕl′ē) or ni·el·los
1. Any of several black metallic alloys of sulfur with copper, silver, or lead, used to fill an incised design on the surface of another metal.
2. A surface or object decorated with one of these alloys.
3. The art or process of ornamenting metal surfaces with one of these alloys.
tr.v. ni·el·loed, ni·el·lo·ing, ni·el·los
To decorate or inlay with niello.
[Italian, from Medieval Latin nigellum, from neuter of Latin nigellus, diminutive of niger, black; see nekw-t- in Indo-European roots.]
ni·el′list n.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.