Byzantine Processional Cross Pendant Necklace
Size Information
During the Middle Byzantine period, elaborate crosses were widely used in religious, military, and imperial processions. The processional cross (ca. 1000–1050) that inspired this pendant is embellished with medallions containing busts of holy figures, including Christ, the archangels Michael and Gabriel, the Virgin Mary, and Saint John the Baptist, accompanied by Greek inscriptions identifying each likeness. An inscription on the back indicates that this particular cross in the Museum's holdings was a votive gift, likely offered in honor of Saint Thalelaios, a martyred physician whose profession is represented by medical symbolism. It may have been used in a water purification ceremony, as Thalelaios is one of the saints named in that service.
During the Middle Byzantine period, elaborate crosses were widely used in religious, military, and imperial processions. The processional cross (ca. 1000–1050) that inspired this pendant is embellished with medallions containing busts of holy figures, including Christ, the archangels Michael and Gabriel, the Virgin Mary, and Saint John the Baptist, accompanied by Greek inscriptions identifying each likeness. An inscription on the back indicates that this particular cross in the Museum's holdings was a votive gift, likely offered in honor of Saint Thalelaios, a martyred physician whose profession is represented by medical symbolism. It may have been used in a water purification ceremony, as Thalelaios is one of the saints named in that service.
- 14K gold plate
- Lobster claw closure
- Pendant: 2''L x 1 1/2''W
- Chain: 34''L
- Clean with a damp cloth and dry with a soft, clean cloth
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