Reliquary Pendant Cross

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Culture Byzantine

Title Reliquary Pendant Cross

Date 6th–7th century

Medium Bronze

Dimensions Overall (cross): 3 7/16 × 2 5/16 in. (8.7 × 5.8 cm)
Overall (max.): 4 15/16 in. (12.6 cm)

Credit Line Burton Y. Berry Collection, Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University

Accession Number 62.117.141

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About this Work

Large-scale sculpture and painted icons were created to inspire public devotion in churches. Smaller objects with religious subject matter were made for private homes and—like this example—made to be worn as jewelry. This beautifully crafted cross included a hinged compartment that was intended to contain a sacred relic. This fact, as well as its size and use of a precious metal, indicates that it might have been intended for use on ceremonial occasions.

Provenance
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Provenance research is ongoing for this and many other items in the Eskenazi Museum of Art permanent collection. For more information about the provenance of this artwork, please contact the department curator with specific questions.

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"Reliquary Pendant Cross | Collections Online." Collections Online. Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University, 2025. https://artmuseum.indiana.edu/collections-online/browse/object.php?number=62.117.141