Description:

Byzantine Empire, ca. 9th to early 13th century CE. A pretty bronze reliquary with a crucifix image in low relief on its face and rounded edges on the cross. Size: 26" L (of string) x 1.9" W x 3.25" H (66 cm x 4.8 cm x 8.3 cm)

Relics - physical remains of saints or objects associated with Christ, such as pieces of the True Cross, the shroud His body was wrapped in, or, mythically, the Holy Grail – held tremendous power in medieval Christianity. Reliquaries, objects designed to hold relics, were usually kept in cathedrals or churches, but some wealthy individuals were able to possess them. The less wealthy could purchase replicas of reliquaries, small reliquaries containing less precious items like soil from a holy site, or metal items produced as a form of souvenir from shrines. Later, many of these objects were destroyed in times of religious conflict or strife; ones that are intact have often been passed down through generations of families. The Metropolitan Museum of Art has several of these items in its collection, including on display – see the small hinged cross reliquary depicting Christ and the Virgin on display in Gallery 303.

Provenance: Ex-Private Orange County, CA collection acquired before 1980

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#118342

  • Condition: Modern stringing; hinge functional with surface wear obscuring some features.

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March 23, 2017 7:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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