The Sacro Catino is an artifact preserved in

Genoa Genoa ( ; it, Genova ; lij, Zêna ). is the capital of the Regions of Italy, Italian region of Liguria and the List of cities in Italy, sixth-largest city in Italy. In 2015, 594,733 people lived within the city's administrative limits. As of t ...

in the Museum of the Treasure of the Cathedral of San Lorenzo. It was portrayed as the

Holy Grail The Holy Grail (french: Saint Graal, br, Graal Santel, cy, Greal Sanctaidd, kw, Gral) is a treasure that serves as an important motif in Arthurian literature. Various traditions describe the Holy Grail as a cup, dish, or stone with miracu ...

, or the simulacrum of the dish used by

Jesus Christ Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religious ...

during the

Last Supper Image:The Last Supper - Leonardo Da Vinci - High Resolution 32x16.jpg, 400px, alt=''The Last Supper'' by Leonardo da Vinci - Clickable Image, Depictions of the Last Supper in Christian art have been undertaken by artistic masters for centuries, ...

; however modern studies considered it to be an

Islamic Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God (or ''Allah'') as it was revealed to Muhammad, the main ...

artifact of the 9th-10th century.

The item

The basin is a

hexagonal In geometry, a hexagon (from Greek , , meaning "six", and , , meaning "corner, angle") is a six-sided polygon. The total of the internal angles of any simple (non-self-intersecting) hexagon is 720°. Regular hexagon A ''regular hexagon'' has ...

vase made of bright

green Green is the color between cyan and yellow on the visible spectrum. It is evoked by light which has a dominant wavelength of roughly 495570 Nanometre, nm. In subtractive color systems, used in painting and color printing, it is created by ...

transparent Transparency, transparence or transparent most often refer to: * Transparency (optics), the physical property of allowing the transmission of light through a material They may also refer to: Literal uses * Transparency (photography), a still, ...

material. When it was brought to Genoa it was believed that it was

emerald Emerald is a gemstone and a variety of the mineral beryl (Be3Al2(SiO3)6) colored green by trace amounts of chromium or sometimes vanadium.Hurlbut, Cornelius S. Jr. and Kammerling, Robert C. (1991) ''Gemology'', John Wiley & Sons, New York, p ...

. The Sacro Catino ended up shattered during its stay in

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan ar ...

and was the subject of various restorations: the first in

1908 Events January * January 1 – The British ''Nimrod'' Expedition led by Ernest Shackleton sets sail from New Zealand on the ''Nimrod'' for Antarctica. * January 3 – A total solar eclipse is visible in the Pacific Ocean, and is the 4 ...

, in

1951 Events January * January 4 – Korean War: Third Battle of Seoul – Chinese and North Korean forces capture Seoul for the second time (having lost the Second Battle of Seoul in September 1950). * January 9 – The Government of the Uni ...

, and finally in 2017. The study of the object made during the period of presence in France by the

Académie des sciences The French Academy of Sciences (French: ''Académie des sciences'') is a learned society, founded in 1666 by Louis XIV at the suggestion of Jean-Baptiste Colbert, to encourage and protect the spirit of French scientific research. It was at the ...

of the Institut de France established that it was a

Byzantine The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantin ...

crystal A crystal or crystalline solid is a solid material whose constituents (such as atoms, molecules, or ions) are arranged in a highly ordered microscopic structure, forming a crystal lattice that extends in all directions. In addition, macr ...

and not an emerald. The following studies would have postdated the work considering it to be an

artifact of the

9th 9 (nine) is the natural number following and preceding . Evolution of the Arabic digit In the beginning, various Indians wrote a digit 9 similar in shape to the modern closing question mark without the bottom dot. The Kshatrapa, Andhra and ...

10th century The 10th century was the period from 901 (CMI) through 1000 ( M) in accordance with the Julian calendar, and the last century of the 1st millennium. In China the Song dynasty was established. The Muslim World experienced a cultural zenith, es ...

Between history and legend

The source of this belief is Jacopo da Varagine, who tells in the Genoese Chronicle that, during the first Crusade ( XI century ), the

Genoese Genoese may refer to: * a person from Genoa * Genoese dialect, a dialect of the Ligurian language * Republic of Genoa (–1805), a former state in Liguria See also * Genovese, a surname * Genovesi, a surname * * * * * Genova (disambiguati ...

soldiers under the command of Guglielmo Embriaco participated in the capture of the city of Cesarea (

1101 Year 1101 ( MCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. It was the 2nd year of the 1100s decade, and the 1st year of the 12th century. Events By place Byzantine Empire * ...

), coming into possession of what was believed to be the dish of Jesus' Last Supper. Archbishop William of Tire wrote in the second half of the 12th century that the crusaders found the emerald plate in a temple built by

Herod the Great Herod I (; ; grc-gre, ; c. 72 – 4 or 1 BCE), also known as Herod the Great, was a History of the Jews in the Roman Empire, Roman Jewish client state, client king of Judea, referred to as the Herodian Kingdom of Judea, Herodian kingdom. He ...

and bought it at a high price. They resold it at a high price anyway. At the beginning of the

fourteenth century As a means of recording the passage of time, the 14th century was a century lasting from 1 January 1301 ( MCCCI), to 31 December 1400 (MCD). It is estimated that the century witnessed the death of more than 45 million lives from political and nat ...

Cardinal Cardinal or The Cardinal may refer to: Animals * Cardinal (bird) or Cardinalidae, a family of North and South American birds **'' Cardinalis'', genus of cardinal in the family Cardinalidae **'' Cardinalis cardinalis'', or northern cardinal, ...

Luca Fieschi Luca Fieschi ( – 31 January 1336) was a Genoese nobleman and Roman Catholic cardinal from 1300. A member of the Fieschi family and a relative of the Plantagenets, he held benefices in England and Italy. Although politically a Guelph, he was ...

obtained the Catino as a pledge of the loan of 9500 lire made by him to the Compagna Comunis who in

1327 Year 1327 ( MCCCXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events January–December * January 25 – The 14-year-old Edward III is proclaimed King of England, afte ...

redeemed the Catino and established that in the future it could no longer be committed or taken out of the sacristy of the cathedral. Jean Le Meingre known as Boucicault, French governor of Genoa, in

1409 Year 1409 ( MCDIX) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events January–December * January 1 – The Welsh surrender Harlech Castle to the English. * March 25 &ndash ...

would have attempted the theft. In

1470 Year 1470 ( MCDLXX) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events January–December * March 12 – Wars of the Roses in England – Battle of Losecoat Field: The Ho ...

Anselmo Adorno describes it with precision, even if he later confuses it with the plate in which the

Baptist Baptists form a major branch of Protestantism distinguished by baptizing professing Christianity, Christian believers only (believer's baptism), and doing so by complete Immersion baptism, immersion. Baptist churches also generally subscribe ...

's head had been placed, also preserved in San Lorenzo . At the end of the

fifteenth century The 15th century was the century which spans the Julian dates from 1 January 1401 ( MCDI) to 31 December 1500 ( MD). In Europe, the 15th century includes parts of the Late Middle Ages, the Early Renaissance, and the early modern period. Many ...

the rumor spread that

Venice Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 bridges. The isla ...

too was attempting the subtraction. In

1522 __NOTOC__ Year 1522 ( MDXXII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar, the 1522nd year of the Common Era (CE) and '' Anno Domini'' (AD) designations, the 522nd year of the 2nd mill ...

the army of Emperor

Charles V Charles V may refer to: * Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor (1500–1558) * Charles V of Naples (1661–1700), better known as Charles II of Spain * Charles V of France (1338–1380), called the Wise * Charles V, Duke of Lorraine (1643–1690) * Infant ...

sacked Genoa, but failed to take possession of the treasure of the Cathedral both due to the resistance of the priests and because the

Republic of Genoa The Republic of Genoa ( lij, Repúbrica de Zêna ; it, Repubblica di Genova; la, Res Publica Ianuensis) was a medieval and early modern maritime republic from the 11th century to 1797 in Liguria on the northwestern Italian coast. During the L ...

paid 1000

ducats The ducat () coin was used as a trade coin in Europe from the later Middle Ages from the 13th to 19th centuries. Its most familiar version, the gold ducat or sequin containing around of 98.6% fine gold, originated in Venice in 1284 and gained ...

to the captain who was besieging the sacristy. In

1726 Events January–March * January 23 – (January 12 Old Style) The Conventicle Act (''Konventikelplakatet'') is adopted in Sweden, outlawing all non-Lutheran religious meetings outside of church services. * January 26 – ...

Gaetano di Santa Teresa says it is eight Genoese ounces (16 cm ) high while the one on display today is only 9 high. cm. This made someone think that to prevent the theft a copy would have been made with different sizes. When Genoa was conquered by the French led by

Napoleon Bonaparte Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader wh ...

, the dish was brought to

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. ...

1806 Events January–March * January 1 ** The French Republican Calendar is abolished. ** The Kingdom of Bavaria is established by Napoleon. * January 5 – The body of Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson, lies in state in the Painted Hal ...

and, when it was returned on June 14,

1816 This year was known as the '' Year Without a Summer'', because of low temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere, possibly the result of the Mount Tambora volcanic eruption in Indonesia in 1815, causing severe global cooling, catastrophic in ...

, it returned to Genoa broken into 10 pieces, one of which was missing. In 2017, the "emerald vase" was returned to the city in its transparent color, after the restoration carried out by the Opificio delle Pietre Dure in Florence. According to L. Ciatti, protagonist of the restoration attributed to Daniele Angellotto In 1800, the hypothesis was advanced for the first time that it was not obtained from a huge natural emerald, but that it was a simple green glass vase, a matter with no economic value.

References

Bibliography

* Daniele Calcagno, ''The mystery of the "Sacro Catino"'', ed. Ecig, 2000.
Fra Agostino Schiaffino, ''Ecclesiastical Annals of Liguria by the Reverend Father Fra Agostino Schiaffino Genovese'', Volume II, f. 174.
("... in this city aesarea in a Meschita [mosquewhich was already a Temple built by Herod in honor of Augustus Caesar, a green vase was found, made in the likeness of a cattino, who touched by lot to Genovesi for a very large sum of money, because they gave themselves to believe that it was emerald, so they brought it to the City for one of its [?] adornments, and they show it until today, as if by miracle to characters who pass by, convinced that that color is truly emerald ")]
Fra Gaetano da S. Teresa, ''The eastern emerald basin, a gem consecrated by Our Lady Jesus Christ in the last supper of the azimi, and guarded with religious piety by the Ser.ma Rep.ca of Genoa, as a glorious trophy brought back in the conquest of the holy land. 'year 1101'', in the Giovanni Franchelli printing house, Genoa 1726.

External links

San Lorenzo Museum
of

* {{cite web , title=Il piatto dell'Ultima Cena , website=cicap.org , date=2006-10-06 , url=http://www.cicap.org/articoli/at102013.htm , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061006213124/http://www.cicap.org/articoli/at102013.htm , archive-date=2006-10-06 , url-status=dead , ref={{sfnref , cicap.org , 2006 , access-date=2022-08-26 Genoa