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Arm Reliquary of Saint Bernward

ca. 1194
Not on view
Returned to lender
This work of art was on loan to the museum and has since been returned to its lender.
Arms of precious metal and gemstones over a wood core were a common form for medieval reliquaries. The hand is raised in blessing and wears a precious ring, an episcopal attribute, so it is assumed to be the arm reliquary of Saint Bernward. It is thought to have been made to commemorate the relocation in 1194 of Bernward’s relics, which are no longer present.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Arm Reliquary of Saint Bernward
  • Date: ca. 1194
  • Culture: German (Hildesheim)
  • Medium: Silver, gilded silver, rock crystal, and semiprecious stones; wood core
  • Dimensions: Overall: 21 7/16 x 6 1/8 x 4 9/16 in. (54.5 x 15.5 x 11.6 cm)
  • Classification: Metalwork-Silver
  • Credit Line: Dom-Museum HIldesheim, on loan from the church of St. Magdalen, Hildesheim (L 1978–2)
  • Curatorial Department: Medieval Art and The Cloisters