Byzantine Bronze Cross Pendant – With Certificate of Authenticity

This cross belongs to the canonical type of Byzantine cruciform pendants with concentric decoration, attested in the collections of the British Museum, Harvard Art Museums, Metropolitan Museum and Israel Museum. The dimensions of 28 × 21 mm correspond perfectly to the museum standards of this typology.

Greek cross with balanced composition and equal arms, each end adorned with circular pastilles decorated with incised rings with central umbo in slight relief. This emblematic "ring-and-dot" motif symbolizes divine radiance and apotropaic protection.

Sober and smooth surface offering a clear reading of the motif and ensuring comfortable wear against clothing.

Flan and edge

Careful casting with regular profile, circles incised with compass demonstrating the technical mastery of Byzantine goldsmiths.

Material: cast bronze. Dimensions: 28 × 21 mm. Integrated bail cast in one piece. Honey-brown patina with dark nuances, stable and homogeneous.

In the Byzantine world, these pendants were objects of personal piety and spiritual insignia. Their simple form expressed the cosmic centrality of Christ, the concentric motif symbolizing the light of Christ.

Authentic testimony of primitive Eastern Christianity, this piece embodies the union between faith, art and history through the purity of its design and the accuracy of its casting.

Provenance: former Dutch private collection acquired before 1990. Certificate of authenticity provided. Sale by specialized European auction under expert control.