The Saint-Denis Crystal or ''Cristal de Saint-Denis'' is a

Carolingian The Carolingian dynasty ( ; known variously as the Carlovingians, Carolingus, Carolings, Karolinger or Karlings) was a Frankish noble family named after Charles Martel and his grandson Charlemagne, descendants of the Arnulfing and Pippinid c ...

engraved gem An engraved gem, frequently referred to as an intaglio, is a small and usually semi-precious gemstone that has been carved, in the Western tradition normally with images or inscriptions only on one face. The engraving of gemstones was a major lux ...

depicting the crucifixion of Christ, that was originally held in the

treasury A treasury is either *A government department related to finance and taxation, a finance ministry; in a business context, corporate treasury. *A place or location where treasure, such as currency or precious items are kept. These can be ...

of the

Abbey of Saint-Denis The Basilica of Saint-Denis (, now formally known as the ) is a large former medieval abbey church and present cathedral in the commune of Saint-Denis, a northern suburb of Paris. The building is of singular importance historically and archite ...

in France. During the French Revolution many pieces in the Abbey's treasure were either broken up and destroyed or sold - the Saint Denis Crystal eventually made its way to the

British Museum The British Museum is a Museum, public museum dedicated to human history, art and culture located in the Bloomsbury area of London. Its permanent collection of eight million works is the largest in the world. It documents the story of human cu ...

in London, where it resides to this day.British Museum Collection
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Description

The Saint-Denis Crystal is one of 20 or so engraved intaglios of rock crystal to survive from the Middle Ages. On the flat surface of the crystal is engraved the crucifixion of Christ, who is flanked by the

Virgin Mary Mary was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Saint Joseph, Joseph and the mother of Jesus. She is an important figure of Christianity, venerated under titles of Mary, mother of Jesus, various titles such as Perpetual virginity ...

and Saint John who are holding clothes to their faces in expressions of grief. Above this scene are two images of the moon and the sun.

History

Estimated to date between 846 and 869 AD, the

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, macros ...

was clearly made for an important client from the

court. For a long time, it was kept in the treasury of the Abbey of Saint-Denis, where almost all the monarchs of France are buried. Following the French Revolution the crystal was sold at auction in 1798 and, after going through various hands, was purchased by the British Museum in 1855.

Description

History

See also

References

Further reading