Brooch with Anastasis (Harrowing of Hell)
| Culture | Byzantine |
|---|---|
| Title | Brooch with Anastasis (Harrowing of Hell) |
| Date | 500–700 CE |
| Medium | Quartz crystal and gold |
| Dimensions | Overall: 1 11/16 × 1 3/8 × 3/8 in. (4.4 × 3.6 × 1 cm) |
| Credit Line | Burton Y. Berry Collection, Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University |
| Accession Number | 76.62.34 |
| This artwork is currently on view. | |
Two gemstones set into an oval casing, separated by a sheet of gold foil. The crystal in the back is undecorated, while the crystal in the front shows a scene with a male figure striding to the left, over fallen doors, carrying a cross pulling a second man toward him with his left hand as a woman watches. The busts of three figures appear in the upper left corner.
This pendant consists of an oval rock crystal, which is carved in reverse intaglio and set within a complex frame of gold. It was probably worn on a necklace. The arrangement of the engraved figures identifies the scene as the Anastasis, an event that was believed to have taken place after Christ's Crucifixion. The triumphant Christ trampled the gates of Hell and raised Adam and Eve, the progenitors of all mankind, along with all other righteous souls.
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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"Brooch with Anastasis (Harrowing of Hell) | Collections Online." Collections Online. Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University, 2025. https://artmuseum.indiana.edu/collections-online/browse/object.php?number=76.62.34