Octagonal Marriage Ring
Returned to lender
This work of art was on loan to the museum and has since been returned to its lender.Jerusalem is a holy site for Jews, Christians, and Muslims. For Christians, it is revered as the site of Christ’s death and Resurrection. Since the fourth century, when Emperor Constantine I erected the Holy Sepulchre over Christ’s tomb, Christian pilgrims have thronged there, often acquiring memorials of their visit.
The bride and the groom on the face of the ring are identified in the inscription on the bezel: "Lord, help thy servants Peter and Theodote." On the band, events associated with sites in
the Holy Land evoke prayers for protection.
The bride and the groom on the face of the ring are identified in the inscription on the bezel: "Lord, help thy servants Peter and Theodote." On the band, events associated with sites in
the Holy Land evoke prayers for protection.
Artwork Details
- Title: Octagonal Marriage Ring
- Date: 7th century
- Geography: Made in Constantinople (?)
- Medium: Gold and niello
- Dimensions: Diam: 7/8 in. (2.3 cm)
- Classification: Metalwork
- Credit Line: Byzantine Collection, Dumbarton Oaks, Washington, D.C. (BZ.1947.15)
- Curatorial Department: Medieval Art and The Cloisters