The Attarouthi Treasure - Chalice

Unknown

500–650 · Silver and gilded silver · Medieval Art

With a youthful Christ with cruciform halo flanked by a deacon saint with censer (probably Saint Stephen) and a youthful saint with staff, and the Virgin Mary in orant pose flanked by archangels, under arcades Inscribed in Greek: For his salvation Diodoros of the village of Attaroutha has offered [this]. The Virgin stands with her hands lifted in prayer. The orant pose—hands raised to heaven—is the earliest position for prayer in the Christian church.

Artist

Unknown

Date

500–650

Medium

Silver and gilded silver

Culture

Byzantine

Department

Medieval Art

Credit line

Purchase, Rogers Fund and Henry J. and Drue E. Heinz Foundation, Norbert Schimmel, and Lila Acheson Wallace Gifts, 1986