Date: c. 1020 Place of Production: Uncertain Description: Embroidered cope (ceremonial cloak) of Henry II. The original fabric of the cope no longer survives; the embroidered sections were cut out and remounted onto a new blue silk damask. The current cope is 3m x 1.5m and was originally commissioned by Duke Ismahel of Bari before being given to…
Date: c. 1015 Place of Production: Germany Description: Two bronze cast doors with relief decoration showing scenes from the Bible. Each of the doors was cast as a single piece using the lost-wax method. Each door measures 4.7 x c.1.2 m and weighs about 1.85 tonnes. Held at: Hildesheim Cathedral Image 1 in Public Domain. Image by Bischöfliche Pressestelle Hildesheim.…
Date: c. 980 Place of Production: Germany Description: 74cm-tall sculpture of the Virgin holding the infant Jesus, made from a wooden core covered with sheets of gold. It is one of the oldest known full-length, free-standing sculptures of the Madonna in the medieval West. Held at: Essen Cathedral Treasury Image 1 licensed under CC BY 2.5. Image by Arnoldius. Image…
Date: 1080 Place of Production: Merseburg, Germany Description: Bronze tomb effigy embedded in the floor of Merseburg Cathedral. Rudolf’s tomb is one of the first known in the medieval west to be marked with a sculpted effigy in bronze, which was originally covered in gilding. Held at: Merseburg Cathedral Images licensed under CC BY 2.5. Image by Michail Jungierek.
Date: c. 970s Place of Production: Cologne, Germany Description: Oak cross with crucified Christ, made for Archbishop Gero of Cologne. The sculpture is carved, painted and partially gilded. The halo and cross are original, but the surround was a later 17th-century Baroque addition. Standing over six feet tall, it is one of the earliest monumental…
Date: c. 947 Place of Production: Germany Description: Edith was originally buried in the monastery of St Maurice in Magdeburg, which was converted into Magdeburg Cathedral. In 2008, the 16th-century stone sarcophagus in Magdeburg Cathedral was opened and a lead coffin found with Edith’s body inside. Held at: Magdeburg Cathedral Image in Public Domain. For more, see H. Meller, W.Schenkluhn,…
Book of Deer Date: Early tenth century(?) Place of Production: Lowland Scotland(?) Description: The Book of Deer/Leabhar Dhèir is a Gospel Book written in Latin, and was produced in the tenth century, perhaps in the Scottish lowlands: it is the earliest manuscript to survive that was made in Scotland. In the twelfth century, annotators from the monastery at…
The Beatus of La Seu d’Urgell Date: Late 10th century Place of Production: Rioja(?) Description: This remarkable book was produced in somewhat mysterious circumstances – no reference to or hint of the author, date or place of production survives. It is full of illustrations, some of the most impressive of which depict the Apocalypse, and the Commentary of…
Codex Aureus of Echternach Date: c. 1030 Place of Production: Echternach Description: This large manuscript has 41 miniatures, thirteen decorated pages and more than 250 golden initials. The miniatures depict different images, among which is a cycle of seven images of St Stephanus, the first martyr. The codex is also called ‘codex Aureus’, because the text is…
Otto III’s Prayer Book Date: 983–991 Place of Production: Mainz Description: This lavish book was made for Otto III, who was three when he became king. It is likely that his mother who commissioned it for him. The manuscript is a prayer book, and contains many beautiful illustrations and detail in gold leaf. Held at: Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, München, Clm…
