Personal Adornment
Dublin Core
Title
Personal Adornment
Description
In the world of Byzantine art, jewelry and personal adornment played an important role in visual culture. The objects presented in this gallery, despite having common themes of devotion or protection, emphasize the wide variety of uses for jewelry in the Byzantine era — for instance, among the rings in this collection there is a wide variety of utilities; while adornment was typically a show of wealth and power, the ways in which individual objects were used still vary — from a marriage ring to a curse ring to a ring of devotion. Each of these, and all the pieces presented here, hold a unique story and show the power of Byzantine jewelry in the role of self-presentation.
Contributor
Luke Pelcher
Collection Items
Marriage Ring
This ring, made of gold, is from the early Byzantine period and is believed to have been used to signify and protect a marriage. It shows Christ, centered, joining the hands of the two parties flanking him in an engraving of niello, which is a black…
Bracelet with Bust of Roma
A personification, Roma or possibly Athena, is depicted on this bracelet made of gold. No matter her identity, the presence of a goddess on jewelry in the fifth century shows the continuing impact of pagan culture on the Byzantine world of late…
Pair of Kolti with Sirens
This pair of Kolti were hollow pendants to allow for perfume to waft from the wearer. They were hung over the heads and attached to strings of pearls on nobles in Byzantium. Made to look symmetrical, koltis were intended to hang on both sides of the…
St. Nicholas Ring
This ring of St. Nicholas was most likely created during the 13th century, and it was created in a way to make it look like it was the gemstone jasper. This ring came to the museum along with many others as part of a gemstone collection that…
Gem Ring
Rings were a very common form of personal adornment within the Byzantine Empire. They would be a means of conveying the wealth and/ or faith of the wearer. While this particular gem ring doesn’t have any identifiable imagery, it does contain text…