{"product_id":"byzantine-silver-cross-pendant-peristeria-10th-13th-century-ce-ancient-jewelry-orant-figure-flared-arms-suspension-loop-authentic-artifact","title":"Byzantine Silver Cross Pendant - 'Peristeria' (10th–13th c. CE) 7.9 g","description":"\u003cp\u003eA cast silver pectoral cross, small enough to close inside a fist, carrying on its face a standing orant figure with arms outstretched into the horizontal arms of the cross. Named 'Peristeria', this is a Byzantine devotional pendant in the schematic idiom of provincial workshops, its silver surface softened by centuries of tarnish and handling.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDetails:\u003cbr\u003eEra: Byzantine\u003cbr\u003eMaterial: Silver\u003cbr\u003eDimensions: 7.9 g\u003cbr\u003eCondition: Original and uncleaned, with uneven silver sulfide tarnish, mineral encrustations in recessed areas, and smooth wear on the raised surfaces of the figure\u003cbr\u003eProvenance: From a private Belgian collection, acquired between the 1960s and 1990s\u003cbr\u003eUnique Identifier: P-31-S\u003cbr\u003eAuthenticity: Comes with certificate of authenticity\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCondition and Authenticity:\u003cbr\u003eOffered in its original and cleaned condition with no modern repairs. A Certificate of Authenticity is included.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHistorical Context:\u003cbr\u003eSmall pectoral crosses of this kind were the most personal form of Byzantine devotional metalwork, worn against the body on a cord and rarely removed in life. The orant pose, a standing figure with arms lifted in prayer, was the standard visual shorthand for the Theotokos or a standing saint interceding on behalf of the wearer. The schematic reduction of the figure, an oval head, sweeping arms, vertical drapery folds, is characteristic of the middle Byzantine centuries, when cast silver enkolpia moved out of the goldsmith's bench and into wider circulation as an authentic Byzantine pendant for daily wear.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhy This Piece?\u003cbr\u003eAn antique pendant with engraved iconography of the orant type is a quietly powerful thing to own, a devotional object that was made to be held, not admired at distance. 'Peristeria' is a wearable medieval piece of jewelry with the surface history intact.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eExplore more \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/medieval-pendants\"\u003eByzantine pendants\u003c\/a\u003e from our collection.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Aurora Antiqua","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":63426107933002,"sku":"P-31-S","price":540.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0897\/7140\/9738\/files\/byzantine-silver-cross-pendant-peristeria-with-orant-figure-in-low-relief-three-1.jpg?v=1788589391","url":"https:\/\/auroraantiqua.com\/products\/byzantine-silver-cross-pendant-peristeria-10th-13th-century-ce-ancient-jewelry-orant-figure-flared-arms-suspension-loop-authentic-artifact","provider":"Aurora Antiqua","version":"1.0","type":"link"}