Folia archeologica 22.

Zsuzsa S. Lovag: Byzantine Type Reliquary Pectoral Crosses in the Hungarian National Museum

I 44 ZS. S. LOVAG The representation of Christ clad in a colobium as well as that of the „Theotokos orans" were developed in the Eastern provinces of the Byzantine empire, their earliest copies being known from Syria and Palestine.

2 The figure of St. John appears most frequently on the obverse together with the Virgin standing on both sides of the Cross, or on the reverse. The other holy persons, apostles or archangels are in the centres of the reverse or as accessory figures at the ends of the arms both on the obverse and the reverse. As for the techniques the figures are engraved or cast in relief. Among the engraved crosses a pure ornamental decoration occurs as well; some of these crosses are also inlaid with glass paste. Many of the crosses bear inscriptions in Greek or Coptic characters indicating the names of the persons represented.

3 There are some difficulties in dating these crosses, as the once developed types were repeated for a very long time. Research dates them usually in the seventh to the twelfth century, in their bulk they are assigned to the period preceding the tenth century.

4 There were attempts to determine a more exact date judging by the applied techniques

5 which for the present cannot be, however, proved by the material and these endeavours are, as pointed out by Frolow, determined by the subjective judgement of the experts regarding the development of techniques.

6 The opinions about the area of production vary as well. The fact that these crosses were widespread over great areas, practically all over Europe, led some experts to the opinion that the type developed in the East was produced and sold by itinerant artisans and merchants in the western parts of the Empire.

7 Others consider the crosses to be products of provincial, Syrian-Palestinian workshops and widespread in the whole Christian world as a result of pilgrimages to Jerusalem, renewed in the sixth and seventh centuries and gaining activity in the course of centuries.

8 The form of the crosses, more or less homogenous and extremely traditional, their rather poor workmanship as to technique and style, and not the least their 2 S/rzJgomki, /., Die Maria-Orans in der byzantinischen Kunst. Römische Quartalschrift 7 !•> Bdrány-Oberschall, M., Byzantinische Pektoralkreuze aus ungarischen Funden. Forschungen zur Kunstgeschichte und christlichen Archäologie 2. (Baden-Baden 1953) 224. 3 Cohen, M., La grande invention de l'écriture et son évolution. I. (Paris 1958) 199. 4 Wulff, О., Die Koimesiskirche in Nicäa und ihre Mosaiken. (Strassburg 1903)255.; Wulff, O., Altchristliche und mittelalterliche, byzantinische und italienische Bildwerke. (Berlit-11909) 195.; Forrer, R., Die frühchristlichen Altcrthümer aus dem Gräberfelde von Achmim-Panopolis. (Strassburg 1893) 17.; Bárány-Oherscba/l, M., op. cit. 223-224.; Froloiv,A., Le culte de la relique de la Vraie Croix à la fin du VF et au début du VIF siècles. Byzantinoslavica 22 (1961) 320, 323. 5 E. King regards the relief crosses as the earlier ones, Kondakov and Miiatev, however, the engraved ones. - King, E., The Date and Provenance of a Bronze Reliquiary Cross in theMuseo Cristiano. (Rome 1928); Miiatev, K. R., Palcstinski krustove v Bulgariia. Godishnik na NarodniiaMusei 1921. 88. 6 Fro/ou',A., op. cit. 323. 7 Miiatev, K. R., op. cit. 88.; Bárány-Oberschall, M., op. cit. 212. 8 Strzygoii'ski, J., Koptische Kunst. (Wien 1904) 304.; Wulff, 0., Die Koimesiskirche . . . 255.; Wulff, O., Altchristliche . . . 195.; Radojëiè, S., Bronzani krstovi-relikvijari iz Ranog Srednjeg veka u Beogradskim Zbirkama. Zbornik za Umetnosto Zgodovino 5-6 (1959) 134.