Reliquary Cross with Christ and the Virgin, 9th–13th century, Byzantine, Copper alloy, Overall: 4 7/8 x 2 1/4 x 1/2 in. (12.4 x 5.7 x 1.3 cm), Metalwork-Copper alloy, This cross and similar examples are made of two crosses hinged at the bottom, which allowed access to a hollow space meant to hold a relic. The large numbers of surviving copper-alloy reliquary crosses suggest that they were not used solely for relics of the True Cross or other primary relics, such as the bone of a saint; instead they likely contained secondary relics, for instance, a piece of earth from a holy site or a piece of fabric made holy through contact with the body of a saint
Keywords:
Reliquary Cross, Christ, Virgin, 9th–13th century, Byzantine, Copper alloy, Overall, 4 7/8 x 2 1/4 1/2, 12.4 5.7 1.3 cm, Metalwork-Copper, cross, examples, two crosses, hinged, bottom, allowed access, hollow space, meant, hold, relic, large numbers, surviving copper-alloy, reliquary, crosses, suggest, solely, relics, True, primary relics, bone, saint, contained secondary, instance, piece, earth, holy site, fabric, holy, contact, body
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