On view
European Art
Amulet,
10th-12th century
Byzantine
Middle Byzantine, 843–1204
y1959-125
Pilgrimage and Portable Objects
These small, portable objects speak to the movement of people across expansive geographies over many centuries. Reliquaries and ampullae, or small flasks, contained physical reminders of pilgrimages to holy sites. Medallions, tokens, and amulets warded off perils on these arduous journeys and served as mementos of them.
Objects of personal adornment traveled with their wearers, but their materials also could connote distant places. Garnet, for example, came to Europe primarily via long-distance trade routes with South Asia, and glass imitating garnet was often made in Egypt and imported to Europe.
Information
Title
Amulet
Dates
10th-12th century
Medium
Bronze
Dimensions
h. 4.7 cm., w. 4.2 cm. (1 7/8 x 1 5/8 in.)
Credit Line
Bequest of Albert Mathias Friend Jr., Class of 1915
Object Number
y1959-125
Place Made
Eastern Mediterranean
Inscription
y
Culture
Period
Acquired by Professor Albert Mathias Friend, Jr., Class of 1915, at an unknown date and from an unknown source; given to the Museum by bequest in 1956.
