Enkolpion of St. Demetrios
Type:
Reliquaries,
Enkolpia,
Pendants
Date:
Twelfth to thirteenth century
Location or Findspot (Modern-Day Country):
Greece
Dimensions:
4.6 × 3.7 cm
Description:
In the basilica of Hagios Demetrios in Thessaloniki built in honor of St. Demetrios on the site of his early fourth-century martyrdom, a freestanding hexagonal structure on the left side of the nave was understood as the dwelling place of the saint. This structure, called a ciborium, was originally made of marble but was replaced by one made of silver-plated wood, possibly donated by Emperor Justinian in the sixth century. Pilgrims could enter the ciborium and see the saint's nearly 2-meter-long bed. An enamel-and-gold enkolpion (devotional pendant) of the twelfth or thirteenth century depicts the tiny saint lying on his bed, over which a lamp is suspended. This panel flips up to reveal a gold relief of the saint in bed. The figural panel is surrounded by compartments for relics, presumably Demetrios's blood and oil from lamps burning near his shrine; both blood and oil are referenced in the inscription that encircles the exterior. The front of the pendant depicts St. George, not St. Demetrios, because from the eleventh century onward Demetrios was increasingly shown as a soldier and paired with other military saints.
Relevant Textbook Chapter(s):
3,
6,
8
Repository and Online Resources:
• For additional views, see the British Museum website.
• A similar enkolpion, perhaps slightly later in date, is in the Dumbarton Oaks collection.
• See more information on the Treasures of Heaven website.
Image Credits:
© Trustees of the British Museum
