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Domed Reliquary

ca. 1170–80
Not on view
Returned to lender
This work of art was on loan to the museum and has since been returned to its lender.
Domed with a great rock crystal and raised on short feet that mimic animal paws, this reliquary’s shape is unusual. The large crystal draws attention to and magnifies the precious relics stored within it, in a space carved out of the stone. Bust-length images of saints and angels appear on the enameled and gilded copper plaques that sheath the sides and the slanted roof. A partial inscription on the base names the Twelve Apostles.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Domed Reliquary
  • Date: ca. 1170–80
  • Culture: German (Hildesheim)
  • Medium: Gilded copper, champlevé enamel, and rock crystal; wood core
  • Dimensions: Overall: 9 x 6 3/8 in. (22.8 x 16.2 cm)
  • Classification: Enamels-Champlevé
  • Credit Line: Dom-Museum Hildesheim (DS 20)
  • Curatorial Department: Medieval Art and The Cloisters