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Triptych: Folding Reliquary Icon
Kilikian Armenia
1293
Wood, silver, gilt 63.5 x 69.5 cm (unfolded)
This folding reliquary icon from one of the Kililian monasteries is a marvellous work by a medieval Armenian craftsman (the Kilikian Armenian Kingdom existed from the 12th century to the 14th, on the north-eastern shores of the Mediterranean). It was commissioned by Bishop Constantine to commemorate the defenders of the national sacred site, the fortress of Romkla, ruined by the Egyptian Mamelukes in 1292. The themes and personalities depicted are taken both from the Old and New Testament and represent contemporary events and heroes from Armenian history.
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