Temple Pendant and Stick
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Byzantine (Constantinople), late 11th-first half
of the 12th century
Gold and cloisonné enamel
Pendant: with loop h. 1 7/8 in. (4.9 cm)
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, N.Y. (1990.235a,b)
The gold pendant is hollow and is open at the top. Such ornaments were worn in pairs by both men and women, near the temple or cheek. The hinged loop at the top can be swung open so that the pendant could be suspended from a cap, headdress, band, or even the hair. They were probably an element of court attire.
The cavity was probably meant to hold a piece of cloth soaked in aromatic oil, which would surround the wearer with perfume. The tapered stick could have been used to insert the cloth into the hollow. This type of personal ornament may have been invented in Constantinople, and this pendant may well be the oldest surviving example.
The pendant and stick are decorated with very finely executed cloisonné enamels in bright colors--red, blue, and green. On the pendant a central medallion with a beardless male head, possibly an angel or Saint John, is surrounded by an intricate pattern of tiny flowers, interlocked palmettes, and multicolored patterned borders. The stick is covered with minuscule crosses.
Classroom Hints:
Notice: shapes, materials, face, patterns
Discuss: function
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