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ANTIOCH: Christine Kondoleon,
Antioch: The Lost Ancient City
(Princeton 2000)
Ordering
Instructions
Carroll F. Wales
Wales traveled extensively throughout the Middle East and North Africa. He spent the
1950s restoring Byzantine frescoes in istanbul under grants from the Dumbarton Oaks
Museum, and is also known for his restoration of the famous Roman mosaic panel from
Antioch (photo above) at the Worcester (MA) Art Museum. He enjoyed an enduring
friendship with archaeologist Max Mallowan and his wife, Agatha Christie, and conserved
ivories for Mallowan during excavations at Nimrud, Iraq.
While his collection spanned an 800-year timeframe and includes sculpture, pottery,
bronzes, fine oil lamps, and jewelry, the heart of the Wales collection is a fine concentration of objects from the dawn of Christianity. Chief among these is a remarkable collection
of bronze enkolpia engraved with a rich variation of saints, angels, Apostles, Mary, and
Jesus Christ himself.
The enkolpion was a popular type of devotional object worn often as a pendant reliquary,
and hence also known as a reliquary cross. It consisted of two separate leaves, each
cast with raised or inscribed figural decoration on the outside and a hollowed surface on
its interior side. The leaves are joined by two sets of hinges, a small one at the bottom and
a larger one at the top, usually attached to the loop of a suspension bead. The hollowed
out inside portion of the cross was said to contain an actual sacred relic.
For iconoduls (worshipers of religious images), the wearing of these crosses was an expression of their orthodox Christian faith, as well as adherence to a religious practice which
called for the representation of holy figures on objects. This practice was vehemently
opposed by the iconoclasts (smashers of religious images). It has been convincingly
argued that the iconoduls were responsible for the widespread use of such pendant reliquary crosses following their first victory in 787 AD over their iconoclastic opponents.
Many of the enkolpia in this catalog are inscribed in Greek. As was the Byzantine practice, such inscriptions include many variations due to carefulness of the engraver, space
available, and region where the cross originated. The study of enkolpia has been
enhanced immeasurably by Brigette Pitarakis seminal 2006 work entitled Les CroixReliquaires Pectorales in which she published more than 650 superb 9th-11th Century AD
examples, the vast majority coming from Constantinople or anatolia. Many of the examples from the Wales collection have close parallels in the Pitarakis raisonne and are so referenced. We invite you to enjoy this wonderful collection.
Byzantine
Circa 8th-11th Century AD
Length: 4.15 in. (10.5 cm)
Width: 3.4 in (8.6 cm)
Condition: Intact as shown. In
the center, remains of a tinned
solder which presumably once
held a central jewel in place.
Reference: See PITARAKIS, Figure
#87, for a related example.
Inscribed:
/ C / / / C
=
Saint George
/ C / / / / C
=
()
Saint John
/ CC / / C
=
Saint Stephen
C / / / / / / C
=
Saint Nicholas
Byzantine
Complete bronze
reliquary cross
Inscribed:
Obverse:
=
Panaghia (meaning All-Holy, the
title of the virgin Mary)
C XC = () ()
Jesus Christ
at the moment of
Reverse:
CC / C
=
Saint Stephen
Byzantine
Complete bronze
reliquary cross
Saint George
Reference: See PITARAKIS, #348,
for a very closely related example
with St. John and St. George, most
certainly from the same workshop
and possibly by the same hand.
Background: Archistrategos
means commander-in-chief and
is usually the title of archangels
though not exclusively. In written
texts, it has been used as title of
Christ and Stephen (as well as the
archangels). It also occurs for the
Satanic hosts, as in Origen. The
word originally came from the
Hebrew Bible and was transferred
through the Septuagint to the
Christian world.
Byzantine
Complete bronze
reliquary cross
(enkolpion) depict-
Inscribed:
Obverse:
/
=
Michael
Reverse:
inscription most
C / / C
() ()()(?)
Saint George?
Extremely rare in
reverse featuring a
non-standard
Byzantine
Circa 9th-11th Century AD
reliquary cross
intricately styled
Inscribed:
flowing robes, an
Obverse:
ful depiction of
C / XC
() {()} ()
Jesus Christ
Reverse:
symbolic of a crown
/ /
=
Panaghia (meaning All-Holy)
Reference: See PITARAKIS, #236,
for related iconography, and also
TEMPLE, #57, for a reliquary cross
with Panaghia.
Background: Panaghia (also
transliterated as Panagia and
Panayia), meaning All Holy, was
the title given to the Virgin after
her motherhood of Christ was
confirmed at the Council of
Ephesus in 431 AD.
Byzantine
Bronze reliquary
cross (enkolpion)
Byzantine
single attachment
length portrait of an
elaborately robed
Inscribed:
man is depicted
Obverse:
motifs, perhaps
/ C
( ??) or ( ??)
The Theologian (meaning St. John
the Theologian)
palm branches,
Reverse:
/
=
Panaghia (meaning All-Holy the
title of the Virgin Mary)
stretched in prayer.
Two triangular
inscription above
identifies the figure
as St. John the
Theologian. St. John
was son of Zebedee
and the beloved
apostle of Christ.
He is believed to
have authored the
Gospel and first
Epistle of John, and
to have outlived the
other Apostles. He
is also known as
John the Evangelist
and John the Divine.
On the reverse, a
similar figure is
shown surmounted
by a Panaghia
inscription.
Byzantine
Complete bronze
reliquary cross
Byzantine
Circa 8th-10th Century AD
Length: 8.4 in. (21.3 cm)
Width: 4.2 in. (10.5 cm)
Condition: Intact.
Inscribed:
/
=
Michael
/
() ()
Mother of God
/ /
? = ?
Saint Mary (Magdalen) ?
Reference: Crosses with tearshaped projections appear in the
seventh century and continued
with reduced frequency into the
eleventh century.
Reference: See PITARAKIS, figure
#87, for an example in Athens.
Also see MALCOVE, #177.
Byzantine
portrait of a haloed
figure with outstretched arms and
open-palm hands,
possibly St. George,
and long expressive
face. The figure
wears an ornate
robe incised with
hatched and geometric patterns.
Attractive patina.
Byzantine
11 St. Stephen
Bronze reliquary
cross (enkolpion)
depicting a haloed
Inscribed:
C / C
() = ()
Saint Stephen
ing a full-length
Byzantine
(enkolpion) featuring
Mary and the authors of
the four gospels, all cast
in rare raised relief. Mary,
Mother of God, is depicted as the central haloed
figure with flowing robes
and arms outstretched in
prayer. The end of each
arm is decorated with the
bust of a male bearded
bust within a beaded ring,
each identified by the
Greek initials of the
names Matthew, Mark,
Luke and John. Important
type. From Anatolia or
Constantinople.
Matthew (top)
Mark (bottom)
Luke (left)
I
John (right)
Reference: See PITARAKIS #112
for near identical example. For
another example cast in raised
relief in the collection of the
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, see
#45 VMFA (Virginia: 1994). Also
see WALTERS #305, for a similar
example in the Detroit Institute of
the Arts.
Additional Image: See Cover
Photo.
Byzantine
Byzantine
decorated, complete
Condition: Intact.
Reference: See PITARAKIS, #531,
for a variant with central open
cavity and punch pattern.
Byzantine
depicting a full-length
central figure with flowing robe neatly incised.
The head is surrounded
Inscribed:
/ = () ()
Mother of God
16
Early Byzantine
pendant cross
with central
depiction in high
relief of the crucified Christ
flanked on left by
a figure in profile
(mourning Mary)
and on right by a
frontal bust
(John). Two busts
adorn the top
and two angels
appear at Christs
feet. Rare and
very early example of a crucifix.
17
Byzantine
Circa 8th-11th Century AD
Inscribed:
C / XC
() {()} ()
Jesus Christ
Byzantine
Early bronze
pendant
flat back,
cross with
slightly flaring arms,
and integral
attachment
loop at the
top. A large
central circular cavity
would have
originally
held a glass
inlay.
Flanking the
central cavity are remains of where four circular appliques or stones
were affixed.
Byzantine
19 Uninscribed enkolpion
Bronze,
medium-
20
Byzantine
Top half of a
bronze reli-
quary cross
(enkolpion)
beautifully
Inscribed:
depicting
C+CNH / KA
() {()} ()
Jesus Christ conquers/is victorious
Jesus Christ,
nimbus at his
head, as a
full-length,
unbearded figure with flowing robes decorated with a
hatched and
ribbon incising. His arms
are spread
apart and at
each hand a
large nail is
depicted.
Extremely fine
and rare.
21
Byzantine
Circa 6th-10th Century AD
Byzantine
22 Pendant cross
Larger pendant
Byzantine
23 Pendant cross
Pendant cross
24
Byzantine
with ornately
knobbed terminals on
Pendant cross
Pendant bronze cross
with two knobs decorating the terminal of
each arm. Arms are
symmetrical, resulting in very pleasing
aesthetics. An empty
cavity at the center
of the cross once
held a stone or glass
inlay. A neatly
applied punched circle pattern decorates
the cross. The back
is flat and undecorated. An integral
attachment loop at
the top.
25
Byzantine
Circa 7th-10th Century AD
Height: 2 in. (5 cm)
Condition: Central inlay missing
but otherwise intact as shown.
Beautiful brown patina. Wearable.
Reference: See PRINCETON, #86,
for a related example in silver
now in the Princeton Art Museum.
Byzantine
Circa 6th-10th Century AD
26 Pendant crosses
c
Obverse
Reverse
Selection of fine bronze solid-cast pendant crosses including: (a) slender rounded-arm type (probably from
Constantinople) with original dark green paste in central
cavity; (b) rounded-arm type segmented central section
and stylized with acutely tapered arms; and (c-h) six variants of a well-known type, paticularly popular in Egypt and
Syria during the early Christian period, of simple pendant
cross with punched circle pattern with lengths that taper
toward the center. All with attachment loops intact and
wearable.
27
Byzantine
28
Byzantine
cross. It is decorated on
na and attractive.
29
Byzantine
fitting consisting of a
Byzantine
openwork cross
Byzantine
32
Byzantine
Important solid
bronze medallion
length incised
portrait of a
bearded Apostle,
his head encircled with a nimbus. The Apostle
wears ornately
styled robes and
raises both
hands in prayer. Smooth, uninscribed back. Examples
known in the Princeton and Metropolitan Museums are
identified as St. Peter and St. John the Precursor.
Byzantine
Important thin
bronze medallion
embossed half-
Inscribed:
length incised
portrait of a figure, probably
Polychronia. The
figure grasps an
incised robe with
the right hand
and holds the
open palm of the
left hand in prayer. A nimbus surrounds the figures head,
incised tresses of hair fall past the shoulder. Polychronia is
known as the mother of St. George and her name is synonymous with the acclamation God Grant Many Years.
/ / / / / /
=
Polychronia (female name: meaning many years)
Background: Polychronia is the
mother of St. George. She became
a Christian without her husbands
knowledge, then upon his death
returned to her native Palestine to
raise her son. George became
revered when, as a young adult,
he defied the Roman ruler
Diocletian at the start of the Great
Persecution (circa 304 AD).
Byzantine
Heavy cast,
high-quality
bronze lamp
with rounded
elongated body
and long nozzle,
with flaring tip,
dished round the
circular wickhole. Raised,
molded rim
round the fillinghole, stepped internally for the lost lamp lid with hinge
pieces to the rear. Elaborate double-rod handle at the rear,
curving up and forward, joining and separating, terminating
in an open-work decorative series of a bird surmounting
two loops atop a cross. The bottom of each handle where
it joins the body of the lamp is decorated with a well articulated face in profile on each side. Substantial raised base
ring with a square socket for the spike in the lamp stand.
35
Byzantine
Sizable, high-quality
Byzantine
Early Byzantine
Byzantine lead
Condition: Intact
cross-inscribed Weights
38
Early Byzantine
Circa 6th-8th Century AD
Length:
(a): 1.8 in. (4.6 cm)
(b): 1.3 in. (3.3 cm)
(c): 0.6 in. (1.5 cm)
Condition: Superb with sharp
inscriptions.
Reference: See EMPORIO, #115
for an identical example of (a)
along with a chart of weights and
values. Also see ANTIOCH, page
87-88 for a discussion of weights
in the early Byzantine period.
39
Early Byzantine
hand-carved identically on
both sides with alternating triangular cavities and circular
punches that produced a cross
pattern regardless of how the
disc is rotated.
Early Byzantine
Eucharistic
bread mold
carved from
cular front
Background: Excavations at
Achmim-Panopolis have yielded a
large number of Christian stamps,
some of which have been identified as bread stamps; these have
found their way into various
museums and collections in Egypt
and in Europe. Others have been
unearthed in Palestine at important early Christian sites. Asia
Minor and Constantinople have
also provided examples.
angle with a
side is
incised with
central cross
surmounted
at each right
small bordered square
enclosing a
Greek inscription including the abbreviated name of Jesus
Christ in three of the four squares. Triangular shapes decorate each midpoint of the core design, forming arms of an
outer cross.
the border.
Early Byzantine
42
Early Byzantine
Circa 4th-6th Century AD
Length: 17.7 in. (45 cm)
Condition: All but three beads
intact. Each bead subtly unique in
size and toning of the base silver.
Reference: See KUNST AUS
ROME, #278, for a related example using an openwork granulation technique to decorate the
border of an early Christian mirror.
Very fine Byzantine necklace consisting of 79 silver cubeshaped beads with openwork sides and solid top and bottom where beads abut one another in succession. Each
bead clearly fashioned by hand using an unusual and
attractive granulation method, and pierced top and bottom
for attachment. The wear between beads suggests that the
necklace was worn and treasured over a long period of
time. The beads are held together on a modern string, and
could easily be refashioned with a modern chain into a
dramatic wearable necklace. A bold and exquisite example of geometric art as jewelry.
43
Roman
ART
FROM THE
15
Mother of God
16
17
18
19
Uninscribed Enkolpion
20
21
Mother of God
37 Amuletic Fish
38 Cross-Inscribed Weights
Pendant Cross
23
Pendant Cross
24
Pendant Cross
25
Pendant Cross
26
27
Pendant Cross
28
29