Chain with Two Pendants and a Cross

Solidus of Justinian I, Period: Early Byzantine, circa: 552–565 A.D. Minted in: Ravenna, Material: Gold. The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston is open 7 days a week. Monday and Tuesday 10 am–5 pm, Wednesday–Friday 10 am–10 pm, Saturday and Sunday 10 am–5 pm.

Enkolpion with Enthroned Virgin, Nativity, Adoration; and Baptism. Period: Early Byzantine Last quarter 6th century (ca. 583). Materials: gold.  The museum is open to the public Tuesday through Sunday, 11:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m., except for federal holidays

Pair of Earrings. Materials: Pearls, Sapphires, Gold, Gems and Gold Globules. Period: Early Byzantine, circa: Early 5th Century. The museum is open to the public Tuesday through Sunday, 11:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m., except for federal holidays.

Relief based on story of Achilles receiving his armor on the island of Skyros. Period: Early Byzantine, Material: Ivory.  The MFA is open 7 days a week. Monday and Tuesday 10 am–5 pm, Wednesday–Friday 10 am–10 pm, Saturday and Sunday 10 am–5 pm.

Hinged Closure with Christ and the Virgin, Period: Middle Byzantine. Date: Second half 10th to early 11th century. Materials: enamel on gold. The museum is open to the public Tuesday through Sunday, 11:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m., except for federal holidays.

Paten with Christogram and Repousse Border, Period: Early Byzantine, circa Mid 6th Century. Materials: silver, gilding and niello. The museum is open to the public Tuesday through Sunday, 11:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m., except for federal holidays.

Lamp for a Stand, Period: Early Byzantine. Material: Bronze.  Found: Egypt. In the shape of a peacock, with circular foot; the spout is at the end of the tail, and the hole for filling in the back is covered by a hinged leaf-shaped lid.

British Museum is closed 24, 25 and 26 December and 1 January, but is open every other day of the year. Fast facts about the British Museum: Founded: 1753, Collection size: 8 million objects, Oldest object in the collection: Stone chopping tool (nearly 2 million years old).

Necklace; Cross pendant; Period: Early Byzantine; 5thc.-6thc.; Materials: glass, amber, amethyst and carnelian beads. Found: Qaw el-Kebir, Egypt, Upper Egypt. British Museum is closed 24, 25 and 26 December and 1 January, but is open every other day of the year.

Ring of Leontios, Period: Middle Byzantine, circa: 1000, Materials: Gold, niello, Inscribed: “Lord help Leontius, Patrician and Count of imperial Obsikion guarded by God”. The ring came from Leontios of the district of Opsikion, in exactly what is currently northwestern Turkey. Patrikios as well as komes were Roman titles that moved in definition throughout the Byzantine period; it promises that Leontios was the guv of the district or an upper-level general. On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 303 . The Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York) is one of the world’s largest and finest art museums. Its collection includes more than two million works of art spanning five thousand years of world culture, from prehistory to the present and from every part of the globe. Public Hours: 10:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m. Open seven days a week.

Earrings (pair), Period: Early Byzantine; circa: 600s; Materials: gold, pearls, glass, and emeralds. The Cleveland Art Museum Hours: Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, Sundays 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Wednesdays, Fridays 10:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. Closed Mondays.

Panel with St. Peter or St. Paul, Period: Early Byzantine circa: 500s, Made in Byzantine Egypt, Materials: Ivory. Dimensions: 9 1/8 x 4 1/8 x 5/16 in. (23.1 x 10.5 x 0.8 cm). On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 300. The Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York) is one of the world’s largest and finest art museums. Its collection includes more than two million works of art spanning five thousand years of world culture, from prehistory to the present and from every part of the globe. Public Hours: 10:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m. Open seven days a week.

Bird Figure, Period: Early Byzantine, circa: 6thC-7thC; Made in: Egypt. Dimensions: Height: 2.6 inches. British Museum is closed 24, 25 and 26 December and 1 January, but is open every other day of the year. Fast facts about the British Museum: Founded: 1753, Collection size: 8 million objects, Oldest object in the collection: Stone chopping tool (nearly 2 million years old).

Ring of Michael Attaleiates, Period: Middle Byzantine, Date: Before 1080. Materials: enamel on gold. The museum is open to the public Tuesday through Sunday, 11:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m., except for federal holidays.

Silver spoon, Period: Early Byzantine; 650 (circa).  Found: Acheripoetos Monastery, monastery (near)(Europe,Cyprus,Nicosia (district),Kyrenia,Acheripoetos Monastery) British Museum is closed 24, 25 and 26 December and 1 January, but is open every other day of the year. Fast facts about the British Museum: Founded: 1753, Collection size: 8 million objects, Oldest object in the collection: Stone chopping tool (nearly 2 million years old).

Copper Alloy Weight, Period: Early Byzantine, 6thc-7thc, discoidal with double-grooved convex profile; lathe-turned with rims; face engraved with double wreath enclosing cross above denominational mark, both inlaid with silver. British Museum is closed 24, 25 and 26 December and 1 January, but is open every other day of the year.

Fragment of a Floor Mosaic with a Personification of Ktisis, Period: Early Byzantine circa: 500–550, with modern restoration. Materials: Marble and glass. The Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York) is one of the world’s largest and finest art museums. Its collection includes more than two million works of art spanning five thousand years of world culture, from prehistory to the present and from every part of the globe. Public Hours: 10:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m. Open seven days a week.

Leaf of the Consular Diptych of Areobindus, Period: Early Byzantine, Date: 506, School: Constantinople, Material: ivory, Technique: carved, Dimensions: 37,6; 14 cm. The collection of the State Hermitage includes over 3 million works of art and world culture artefacts. It contains paintings, graphic works, sculptures, works of applied art, archaeological artefacts and numismatic objects. The Hermitage is considered to have been founded in 1764, when Empress Catherine the Great acquired an impressive collection of works from the Berlin merchant Johann Ernst Gotzkowsky. The museum celebrates the anniversary of its founding each year on 7 December, St. Catherine’s Day. Opening Hours: Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday: 10.30-18.00 Wednesday, Friday: 10.30-21.00 Closed: Monday.

Pendant with Portrait Intaglio, Period: Early Byzantine, circa: 500s. Materials: Garnet with gold filigree setting. Size: 3.4 x 2.3 cm (1 5/16 x 7/8 in.).  The Cleveland Art Museum Hours: Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, Sundays 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Wednesdays, Fridays 10:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. Closed Mondays.

Gold Earring; semi-circular; with U-shaped loop to which is attached a similarly shaped thin plate of gold. Period: Middle Byzantine; 11thc.-12thc.; Found/Acquired: Syria. British Museum is closed 24, 25 and 26 December and 1 January, but is open every other day of the year.

Solidus of Constantius II (333–361). Material: Gold. The museum is open to the public Tuesday through Sunday, 11:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m., except for federal holidays.