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Votive Plaque with a Female Saint

Syrian (Artist)
6th-7th century (Late Antique)
silver alloy
(Byzantium and Early Russia, Medieval Europe )

This thin silver piece shows a female saint with an inscription that translates as: "Lord, help." It was a votive, or offering, left by pilgrims at a shrine in order to ask for divine assistance, or to give thanks for a miraculous cure. The practice of leaving votives at shrines continues to this day.

Inscription

[Transcription] K [Y]PIE BOHOI;
[Translation] Lord, help

Provenance
Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object. Learn more about provenance at the Walters.

[Found near Ma'aret en-Noman, Syria, prior to 1945]; Joseph Brummer, New York [date of acquisition unknown], by purchase; Walters Art Museum, 1949, by purchase.

Exhibitions

2010-2011 Treasures of Heaven. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland; The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore; The British Museum, London.
1986 Silver Treasure from Early Byzantium. The Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore.
1982 Sacred Souvenirs: Byzantine Pilgrimage Art. Dumbarton Oaks, Washington.
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Geographies

Syria (Place of Origin) Syria, Ma'aret en-Noman (Place of Discovery)

Measurements

H: 1 3/16 x W: 1 in. (3.01 x 2.54 cm)

Credit Line

Museum purchase, 1949

Location in Museum

Centre Street: Third Floor: Early Byzantine Art

Accession Number

In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.

57.1826

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