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RARE CHRISTIAN ROMAN BYZANTINE SILVER CROSS WITH PENDANT WITH 14KT GOLD BAIL 9th - 14th Century A.D. This is the first silver Byzantine cross we are offering from the Christian Roman Empire and it is the only one we have to offer. It is highly uncommon and extremely rare as most crosses worn during this time were made of bronze. Silver was more rare in ancient times than it is today. Modern technology allows us to mine silver inexpensively compared to conditions of the ancient world. During the time of the Roman Empire, all the silver had to be mined underground as it is today but such conditions in ancient times were grueling and much less productive. This fact kept the metal expensive and valued more so than today. Silver was HIGHLY PRIZED and objects of art and adornment were usually only able to be enjoyed by nobles and high members of the church. Such circumstances make this silver Byzantine Roman cross an exceptional offering, indeed! The entire surface has been artfully decorated with a relief of vines and flowers. Each arm of the cross ends with a vine of three flowers representing the Holy Trinity. Now here is where the beautiful meaning of this design comes into importance as it is on a cross. In the Gospel of John, Jesus says, "I am the vine, you are the branches". This refers to Jesus not simply as the vine but more specifically as the true vine. The implication is that in contrast to Israel, which became unfaithful and incurred the judgment of God, Jesus remains faithful and thus fulfills Israel's calling to be the vine of God. We have added a large modern 14 karat gold attachment to the intact and original hole at the top allowing this remarkable piece to be safely worn today on a chain. Bail is large enough to accommodate a man's or woman's chain and this stunning artifact of early Christendom could easily be worn by either a man or woman. Entire piece is solid and wearable with no worries. Overall size is large and makes for a highly visually impressive display! This is the only silver Byzantine cross we encountered during our extensive Fall 2004 collecting trip! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! In the Byzantine Period which lasted from the 5th century AD to the fall of Constantinople in the 15th century, the Roman Empire and Christianity were completely interwoven. It was the quintessential example of the UNION of church and state. The classic architecture, style of dress, and overall appearance of all that was "Roman" took on a new and intricate style that the world has never seen before or has ever since been repeated. Roman Byzantine culture was an eclectic and yet, harmonious religious blend of the Orient with the West. This was not only attributed to the influence of the capitol's new geographic location, but also to the foremost prominence of Christianity in the Roman world. It is during the Byzantine Period that we have the first major introduction of CHRISTIAN JEWELRY to the world!
The Christian jewelry of the ancient world always reflected the humility that Christ preached. Stunning bejeweled adornments were left to the high priests only while performing rituals. The Christian jewelry worn by all believers in antiquity was that of very crude and simplistic design, only very rarely in precious metal. The crosses of the Byzantine Period were predominantly bronze and sometimes lead. The art style was highly stylized, typical for the Byzantine culture. Depictions of Christ and Mary most often appear quite cartoon-like in the imagery on the Christian jewelry and coinage. Since many of the Byzantine coins had religious inscriptions and images of Jesus and occasionally Mary, coins are sometimes found with holes punched through them having been used as a pendant in ancient times by an early believer. In the later Medieval Era and Dark Ages, Christian jewelry maintained this humility in both overall design and manufacture with an increase in the use of silver but a continuance in the use of bronze, copper and lead. Imagery became more refined and detailed. Pilgrim badges were often worn by believers in these times if they had the grand opportunity to visit the Holy city of Jerusalem. An excellent (and wearable!) genuine antiquity from the earliest period of Christian jewelry. 56 mm in height with 14 KY gold attachment CJ006 SOLD COMES WITH A CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY / HISTORY SHEET *** shown with optional CHAIN A, not included |
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Add a gold chain to make this piece ready to wear! click here to see the gold chains |
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The
cross came to symbolize the basic Christian concepts: Incarnation,
Atonement and the Resurrection. It was believed the crosses
possessed hidden healing strength and guaranteed salvation of the
soul! Many objects in antiquity, both everyday items as well as
those for holy rituals, abounded in Christian imagery. Some examples
of this imagery that were used with Christian significance besides the
cross were the Chi-Ro symbol, the fish, angels, a starburst and
abbreviated inscriptions in Greek (the language used for religious
writings and coinage) which translated to "In Christ, Victory"
or "Jesus Christ, King of Kings".