Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: ivory

In 74 BC, the Roman city was founded by Pompejus on the site of a local settlement. The city served to secure the Pyrenees crossing from Roncesvalles. Pamplona was destroyed several times in the course of its history: 466 by the Visigoths, 542 by the Franks, 778 by Charlemagne, 924 by Abd ar-Rahman III and in 1521 during the Franco-Spanish War by troops of Francis I. Its location on the Way of St. James from France gave the capital of the Kingdom of Navarre a boom in the 11th century. With the division of Navarre, the city ultimately came to Spain. After the conquest of the country and its incorporation into Castile in 1512-1515, Pamplona became one of the outposts of the Spanish crown on the French border. Its mission for 300 years was to secure the border against a possible invasion from France. Fortifications and walls were a vital system of defense, but at the same time prevented the city from expanding. The museum is located in the old hospital “Nuestra Señora de la Misericordia de Pamplona” from the 16th century. However, only the facade with the main entrance and the former chapel remain of the hospital. The Leyre Casket (Arqueta de Leyre) This is one of the jewels of Hispano-Arab Islamic art. The casket was carved during the Caliphate of Cordoba. The year of production is given as 395 AH (1004/1005 CE).  The casket was produced for ʿAbd al-Malik, political and military leader of the caliphate from 1002 to 1008. ʿAbd al-Malik is best known for being the son of Almanzor, vizier of Hisham II, but also military leader and strong politician of the caliphate. At some point, as Christian kingdoms raided or conquered al-Andalus, the casket came into Christian hands and was donated to the Monastery of Leyre (from which it takes its name).  At Leyre the casket was repurposed as a reliquary to hold the remains of Saints Nunilo and Alodia, believed to have been executed as apostates during persecutions of Christians by ʿAbd al-Raḥman II, emir of Cordoba, on the mid-ninth century. The casket was later held by the Church of Santa María la Real in Sangüesa and the Treasury of the Cathedral of Pamplona. A detail - Elephants

In 74 BC, the Roman city was founded by Pompejus on the site of a local settlement. The city served to secure the Pyrenees crossing from Roncesvalles. Pamplona was destroyed several times in the course of its history: 466 by the Visigoths, 542 by the Franks, 778 by Charlemagne, 924 by Abd ar-Rahman III and in 1521 during the Franco-Spanish War by troops of Francis I. Its location on the Way of St. James from France gave the capital of the Kingdom of Navarre a boom in the 11th century. With the division of Navarre, the city ultimately came to Spain. After the conquest of the country and its incorporation into Castile in 1512-1515, Pamplona became one of the outposts of the Spanish crown on the French border. Its mission for 300 years was to secure the border against a possible invasion from France. Fortifications and walls were a vital system of defense, but at the same time prevented the city from expanding. The museum is located in the old hospital “Nuestra Señora de la Misericordia de Pamplona” from the 16th century. However, only the facade with the main entrance and the former chapel remain of the hospital. The Leyre Casket (Arqueta de Leyre) This is one of the jewels of Hispano-Arab Islamic art. The casket was carved during the Caliphate of Cordoba. The year of production is given as 395 AH (1004/1005 CE).  The casket was produced for ʿAbd al-Malik, political and military leader of the caliphate from 1002 to 1008. ʿAbd al-Malik is best known for being the son of Almanzor, vizier of Hisham II, but also military leader and strong politician of the caliphate. At some point, as Christian kingdoms raided or conquered al-Andalus, the casket came into Christian hands and was donated to the Monastery of Leyre (from which it takes its name).  At Leyre the casket was repurposed as a reliquary to hold the remains of Saints Nunilo and Alodia, believed to have been executed as apostates during persecutions of Christians by ʿAbd al-Raḥman II, emir of Cordoba, on the mid-ninth century. The casket was later held by the Church of Santa María la Real in Sangüesa and the Treasury of the Cathedral of Pamplona. A detail

In 74 BC, the Roman city was founded by Pompejus on the site of a local settlement. The city served to secure the Pyrenees crossing from Roncesvalles. Pamplona was destroyed several times in the course of its history: 466 by the Visigoths, 542 by the Franks, 778 by Charlemagne, 924 by Abd ar-Rahman III and in 1521 during the Franco-Spanish War by troops of Francis I. Its location on the Way of St. James from France gave the capital of the Kingdom of Navarre a boom in the 11th century. With the division of Navarre, the city ultimately came to Spain. After the conquest of the country and its incorporation into Castile in 1512-1515, Pamplona became one of the outposts of the Spanish crown on the French border. Its mission for 300 years was to secure the border against a possible invasion from France. Fortifications and walls were a vital system of defense, but at the same time prevented the city from expanding. The museum is located in the old hospital “Nuestra Señora de la Misericordia de Pamplona” from the 16th century. However, only the facade with the main entrance and the former chapel remain of the hospital. The Leyre Casket (Arqueta de Leyre) This is one of the jewels of Hispano-Arab Islamic art. The casket was carved during the Caliphate of Cordoba. The year of production is given as 395 AH (1004/1005 CE).  The casket was produced for ʿAbd al-Malik, political and military leader of the caliphate from 1002 to 1008. ʿAbd al-Malik is best known for being the son of Almanzor, vizier of Hisham II, but also military leader and strong politician of the caliphate. At some point, as Christian kingdoms raided or conquered al-Andalus, the casket came into Christian hands and was donated to the Monastery of Leyre (from which it takes its name).  At Leyre the casket was repurposed as a reliquary to hold the remains of Saints Nunilo and Alodia, believed to have been executed as apostates during persecutions of Christians by ʿAbd al-Raḥman II, emir of Cordoba, on the mid-ninth century. The casket was later held by the Church of Santa María la Real in Sangüesa and the Treasury of the Cathedral of Pamplona. A detail - hunting scenes

In 74 BC, the Roman city was founded by Pompejus on the site of a local settlement. The city served to secure the Pyrenees crossing from Roncesvalles. Pamplona was destroyed several times in the course of its history: 466 by the Visigoths, 542 by the Franks, 778 by Charlemagne, 924 by Abd ar-Rahman III and in 1521 during the Franco-Spanish War by troops of Francis I. Its location on the Way of St. James from France gave the capital of the Kingdom of Navarre a boom in the 11th century. With the division of Navarre, the city ultimately came to Spain. After the conquest of the country and its incorporation into Castile in 1512-1515, Pamplona became one of the outposts of the Spanish crown on the French border. Its mission for 300 years was to secure the border against a possible invasion from France. Fortifications and walls were a vital system of defense, but at the same time prevented the city from expanding. The museum is located in the old hospital “Nuestra Señora de la Misericordia de Pamplona” from the 16th century. However, only the facade with the main entrance and the former chapel remain of the hospital. The Leyre Casket (Arqueta de Leyre) This is one of the jewels of Hispano-Arab Islamic art. The casket was carved during the Caliphate of Cordoba. The year of production is given as 395 AH (1004/1005 CE).  The casket was produced for ʿAbd al-Malik, political and military leader of the caliphate from 1002 to 1008. ʿAbd al-Malik is best known for being the son of Almanzor, vizier of Hisham II, but also military leader and strong politician of the caliphate. At some point, as Christian kingdoms raided or conquered al-Andalus, the casket came into Christian hands and was donated to the Monastery of Leyre (from which it takes its name).  At Leyre the casket was repurposed as a reliquary to hold the remains of Saints Nunilo and Alodia, believed to have been executed as apostates during persecutions of Christians by ʿAbd al-Raḥman II, emir of Cordoba, on the mid-ninth century. The casket was later held by the Church of Santa María la Real in Sangüesa and the Treasury of the Cathedral of Pamplona. A detail - two elephants

In 74 BC, the Roman city was founded by Pompejus on the site of a local settlement. The city served to secure the Pyrenees crossing from Roncesvalles. Pamplona was destroyed several times in the course of its history: 466 by the Visigoths, 542 by the Franks, 778 by Charlemagne, 924 by Abd ar-Rahman III and in 1521 during the Franco-Spanish War by troops of Francis I. Its location on the Way of St. James from France gave the capital of the Kingdom of Navarre a boom in the 11th century. With the division of Navarre, the city ultimately came to Spain. After the conquest of the country and its incorporation into Castile in 1512-1515, Pamplona became one of the outposts of the Spanish crown on the French border. Its mission for 300 years was to secure the border against a possible invasion from France. Fortifications and walls were a vital system of defense, but at the same time prevented the city from expanding. The museum is located in the old hospital “Nuestra Señora de la Misericordia de Pamplona” from the 16th century. However, only the facade with the main entrance and the former chapel remain of the hospital. The Leyre Casket (Arqueta de Leyre) This is one of the jewels of Hispano-Arab Islamic art. The casket was carved during the Caliphate of Cordoba. The year of production is given as 395 AH (1004/1005 CE).  The casket was produced for ʿAbd al-Malik, political and military leader of the caliphate from 1002 to 1008. ʿAbd al-Malik is best known for being the son of Almanzor, vizier of Hisham II, but also military leader and strong politician of the caliphate. At some point, as Christian kingdoms raided or conquered al-Andalus, the casket came into Christian hands and was donated to the Monastery of Leyre (from which it takes its name).  At Leyre the casket was repurposed as a reliquary to hold the remains of Saints Nunilo and Alodia, believed to have been executed as apostates during persecutions of Christians by ʿAbd al-Raḥman II, emir of Cordoba, on the mid-ninth century. The casket was later held by the Church of Santa María la Real in Sangüesa and the Treasury of the Cathedral of Pamplona.

York was already an important centre in Roman times, when it was known under the name of Eboracum. The Vikings, who took over the area later from the Angels , in turn adapted the name to Norse Jórvík. After the Anglian settlement York was first capital of Deira and later Northumbria, and by the early 7th century, York was an important royal centre for the Northumbrian kings. Following the Norman Conquest York was substantially damaged in response to regional revolt. Two castles were erected in the city on either side of the River Ouse. In time York became an important urban centre as the administrative centre of the county of Yorkshire, as the seat of an archbishop, and at times in the later 13th and 14th centuries as an alternative seat of royal government. It was an important trading centre. York prospered during much of the later medieval era; the later years of the 14th and the earlier years of the 15th centuries were characterised by particular prosperity. During the English Civil War, the city was regarded as a Royalist stronghold and was besieged and eventually captured by Parliamentary forces under Lord Fairfax in 1644. After the war, York retained its pre-eminence in the North, and, by 1660, was the third-largest city in England after London and Norwich. A bishop of York was summoned to the Council of Arles in 314, indicating the presence of a Christian community in York at this time. The present church had at least three predecessors. The first church, mentioned by Beda was a wooden structure built in 627 to provide a place to baptise Edwin, King of Northumbria. In 741 the existing cathedral was damaged or destroyed, possibly in a fire. The cathedral then passed through the hands of numerous invaders, along with the rest of the city, and its history is unclear until the 10th century. There were a number of Benedictine archbishops, who travelled to Westminster to crown William the Conqueror in 1066. In 1069, a revolt in support of Edgar Ætheling sparked a brutal crackdown. William the Conquerors troops devastated the town and the minster. Later that year, Danish invaders supporting the Ætheling, attacked the town, starting a fire and burning the cathedral to the ground. The first Norman archbishop, Thomas of Bayeux, who arrived in 1070, apparently organised repairs, but in 1075 another Danish force sailed up the river and sacked the minster. Construction of the Norman cathedral began in 1080 and was completed in 1100. Built in the Norman style, the new cathedral was 360 feet (111 m) long. When Walter de Grey was appointed archbishop in 1215, he ordered the construction of a Gothic structure to rival Canterbury. Construction began in 1220. The north and south transepts were the first new structures, completed in the 1250s. Both were built in the early Gothic style, but had noticeably different wall heights. A massive central tower with a wooden spire was also completed. Construction continued into the 15th century. The chapter house was started in the 1260s and was completed before 1296. The wide nave was built on Norman foundations from the 1280s. The external roof was completed in the 1330s, but the vaulting was not completed until 1360. Construction then moved on to the east wing and chapels. The Norman chancel was demolished in the 1390s. In 1407 the central tower collapsed. The pillars were then reinforced and a new tower was built in 1420. The western towers were added between 1433 and 1472. In 1472 the cathedral was declared finished and consecrated. The English Reformation led to the looting of much of the cathedral's treasures. Under Elizabeth I there was a concerted effort to remove all traces of Roman Catholicism from the cathedral; there was much destruction of tombs, windows and altars. In the English Civil War the city was besieged and fell to the forces of Cromwell in 1644, but it was prevented any further damage to the cathedral. On 9 July 1984 a blaze caused severe destruction to the south transept. Believed to have been started by a lightning strike, the roof burnt for three hours before it was made to collapse by the fire brigade to stop it spreading to other parts of the minster. It took over £2.25 million to repair the damage, and a rededication ceremony was held in October 1988. Parts of the cathedral are a museum. The "Horn of Ulf" (this is a replica) was donated to the cathedral around 1030 by a Viking nobleman named Ulf. The horn is carved from an elephant's tusk and is known as an oliphant. The horn was made in southern Italy, probably in Amalfi.

León was founded in 68 AD for a Roman legion from which they were supposed to pacify the rebellious mountain dwellers of Asturias and Cantabria. The name of the settlement that was then developed is based on a refined form of the Latin word "legio". After the end of the Roman Empire, the city was conquered by the Visigoths and in 712 by the Moors. In 856, after the reconquest under King Ordoño I of Asturias, the city was repopulated. Ordoño II made León the capital of his kingdom of León in 914. Sacked by Almanzor in about 987, the city was reconstructed and repopulated by Alfonso V, León was an important stop on the Way of St. James to Santiago de Compostela. Traders and artisans settled in the suburbs and had a strong influence on the development of the city from the 13th century onwards. In the early Middle Ages, the city became prosperous through the cattle trade. However, from the 16th century until the 19th century, the economy and population declined. The "Palacio del Conde Luna" (Palace of Count Luna) is a palace from the 14th century, that was expanded by a Renaissance tower later. The Court of the Inquisition was installed in this palace for many years. It now hosts a museum and a branch of the University of Washington, which uses the building for the learning of Spanish by its students. Bote de la Catedral de Braga This box is made from a piece of elephant's tusk. The lid has an inscription in Kufic Arabic running around it. The entire surface is finely worked in bas-relief. The decorative composition takes the form of a sequence of horseshoe arches standing on colonnettes with capitals of acanthus leaves and two volutes. On top of each arch is a series of goat-like creatures and birds. As well as these birds of paradise stand out from the plant patterns that cover the whole surface. Under one of the arches, two finely sculptured figures are gathering the fruits of a tree, The propitiatory words in Kufic script inscribed on the lower part of the lid indicate that it was commissioned by the hajib Abd al-Malik, son of al-Mansur, the powerful military chief who encouraged several raids in the north of the Peninsula at the end of the 10th century.

León was founded in 68 AD for a Roman legion from which they were supposed to pacify the rebellious mountain dwellers of Asturias and Cantabria. The name of the settlement that was then developed is based on a refined form of the Latin word "legio". After the end of the Roman Empire, the city was conquered by the Visigoths and in 712 by the Moors. In 856, after the reconquest under King Ordoño I of Asturias, the city was repopulated. Ordoño II made León the capital of his kingdom of León in 914. Sacked by Almanzor in about 987, the city was reconstructed and repopulated by Alfonso V, León was an important stop on the Way of St. James to Santiago de Compostela. Traders and artisans settled in the suburbs and had a strong influence on the development of the city from the 13th century onwards. In the early Middle Ages, the city became prosperous through the cattle trade. However, from the 16th century until the 19th century, the economy and population declined. The "Palacio del Conde Luna" (Palace of Count Luna) is a palace from the 14th century, that was expanded by a Renaissance tower later. The Court of the Inquisition was installed in this palace for many years. It now hosts a museum and a branch of the University of Washington, which uses the building for the learning of Spanish by its students. Crucifix, ca. 11th century, ivory

Quedlinburg is known to have existed since at least the early 9th century. It was first mentioned as a town in 922 as part of a donation by Heinrich I (Henry the Fowler). According to legend, Henry had been offered the German crown at Quedlinburg in 919. After he died in 936, his widow Saint Matilda founded a nunnery, where daughters of the higher nobility were educated. The main task of this abbey was to pray for the memory of Heinrich I and the rulers who came after him. The Quedlinburg castle complex, founded by Heinrich I and built up by Otto I in 936, was an imperial Pfalz of the Saxon emperors. The Pfalz, including the male convent, was in the valley, while the women's convent was located on the castle hill. In 973 during a Reichstag (Imperial Convention) Otto the Great introduced his new daughter-in-law Theophanu, a Byzantine princess whose marriage to Otto II brought hope for recognition and continued peace between the rulers of the Eastern and Western empires. The town became a member of the Hanseatic League in 1426. The abbey frequently disputed the independence of the town, which sought the aid of the Bishopric of Halberstadt. In 1477, Abbess Hedwig, aided by her brothers, broke the resistance of the town and expelled the bishop's forces. Quedlinburg was forced to leave the Hanseatic League and was subsequently protected by the Electorate of Saxony. Both town and abbey converted to Lutheranism in 1539 during the Protestant Reformation. The former collegiate church of St. Servatius (aka "St. Servatii" or "Quedlinburger Dom") is dedicated to Saints Dionysios and Servatius. The surviving construction began after a fire in 1070. There were three previous buildings on this site: The building I was erected before 936 as a chapel in a castle complex in front of whose main altar King Heinrich I was buried. When the castle complex was converted into a monastery founded in 936, the church building was replaced by the larger Building II. Another new building (Building III) was erected under the rule of Abbess Mathilde. The first phase of construction was completed in 997. In 1021 the third church was consecrated in the presence of Emperor Heinrich II. This building was destroyed by fire in 1070. The choir was rebuilt in the Gothic style under the abbess Jutta von Kranichfeld by 1320. During the extensive restoration in the 19th century, the church received two neo-Romanesque towers with pointed spires. On the occasion of the thousandth anniversary of Heinrich I's death in 1936, Nazi officials began to redesign the church. Their goal was to convert the building into a Nazi place of worship while removing its Christian character. To this end in 1936, crucifixes were first taken down in the church and the Bible removed from the altar. In 1938 the church was taken over by the SS, who wanted to use it as a "consecration site".Against this background, the restoration of the Romanesque choir took place in the following years 1938 to 1940. The altar, pulpit, and pews were removed and the Gothic chancel vault was destroyed to construct a new, pseudo-Romanesque apse. In addition, NS symbols were installed in the church, such as swastikas and SS flags. SS leader Heinrich Himmler, who took the key to the treasury of the church, is said to have held a "dialogue" with Heinrich I in the building. He assumed that the remains of bones found during excavations on the Schlossberg were the bones of Heinrich I and had them ceremoniously buried in the empty grave next to Queen Mathilde. After the end of WWII, American forces returned the church to their congregation. From June 1945, Christian services could be held here again. The Cathedral Treasury Large parts of the cathedral treasury were donated to the Convent by the Ottonians. The women's monastery, which among other things held the memoria for the Ottonian family, had to be richly endowed due to its family and political importance. Even after the Ottonian period, the monastery still received important donations. In April 1945, American troops occupied Quedlinburg. As early as 1943, all parts of the cathedral treasury had been relocated to a cave. A US Lieutenant was now among others in charge of guarding the cave. This officer, well-versed in art history, recognized the importance of the treasure. He managed to steal twelve select pieces and sent them home by field mail. His heirs tried to sell the art on the international art market. After a long legal struggle and ultimately a settlement, ten of the pieces were returned to Germany in 1992, with the settlement paying three million dollars to buy them back. Since September 1993, almost all of the famous cathedral treasures can be viewed here. Heinrich´s comb "Heinrich´s comb" (aka Heinrich´s beard comb) is a decorative comb made of ivory (7th or 8th century, Syria or Egypt). Decorations made of gold elements (9th-10th century) depict two horses' necks turned away from each other, the horse's heads are no longer preserved. The naming indicates a subsequently attributed connection to King Heinrich I, who was buried in Quedlinburg. There was a theory that good thoughts could only come from a good (well-combed) head.

Quedlinburg is known to have existed since at least the early 9th century. It was first mentioned as a town in 922 as part of a donation by Heinrich I (Henry the Fowler). According to legend, Henry had been offered the German crown at Quedlinburg in 919. After his death in 936, his widow Saint Matilda founded a nunnery, where daughters of the higher nobility were educated. The main task of this abbey, was to pray for the memory of Heinrich I and the rulers who came after him. The Quedlinburg castle complex, founded by Heinrich I and built up by Otto I in 936, was an imperial Pfalz of the Saxon emperors. The Pfalz, including the male convent, was in the valley, while the women's convent was located on the castle hill. In 973 during a Reichstag (Imperial Convention) Otto the Great introduced his new daughter-in-law Theophanu, a Byzantine princess whose marriage to Otto II brought hope for recognition and continued peace between the rulers of the Eastern and Western empires. The town became a member of the Hanseatic League in 1426. The abbey frequently disputed the independence of the town, which sought the aid of the Bishopric of Halberstadt. In 1477, Abbess Hedwig, aided by her brothers, broke the resistance of the town and expelled the bishop's forces. Quedlinburg was forced to leave the Hanseatic League and was subsequently protected by the Electorate of Saxony. Both town and abbey converted to Lutheranism in 1539 during the Protestant Reformation. The former collegiate church of St. Servatius (aka "St. Servatii" or "Quedlinburger Dom") is dedicated to Saints Dionysios and Servatius. The surviving construction began after a fire in 1070. Previously there were three previous buildings on this site: Building I was erected before 936 as a chapel in a castle complex in front of whose main altar King Heinrich I was buried. When the castle complex was converted into a monastery founded in 936, the church building was replaced by the larger Building II. Another new building (Building III) was erected under the rule of Abbess Mathilde. The first phase of construction was completed in 997. In 1021 the third church was consecrated in the presence of Emperor Heinrich II. This building was destroyed by fire in 1070. The choir was rebuilt in the Gothic style under the abbess Jutta von Kranichfeld by 1320. During the extensive restoration in the 19th century, the church received two neo-Romanesque towers with pointed spiers. On the occasion of the thousandth anniversary of Heinrich I's death in 1936, Nazi officials began to redesign the church. Their goal was to convert the building into a Nazi place of worship while removing its Christian character. To this end in1936, crucifixes were first taken down in the church and the Bible removed from the altar. In 1938 the church was taken over by the SS, who wanted to use it as a "consecration site".Against this background, the restoration of the Romanesque choir inside took place in the following years 1938 to 1940. The altar, pulpit and pews were removed and the Gothic chancel vault destroyed to construct a new, pseudo-Romanesque apse. In addition, NS symbols were installed in the church, such as swastika and SS flags. SS leader Heinrich Himmler, who took the key to the treasury of the church, is said to have held a "dialogue" with Heinrich I in the building. He assumed that the remains of bones found during excavations on the Schlossberg were the bones of Heinrich I and had them ceremoniously buried in the empty grave next to Queen Mathilde. After the end of WWII, American forces returned the church to their congregation. From June 1945, Christian services could be held here again. The Cathedral Treasury Large parts of the cathedral treasury were donated to the Convent by the Ottonians. The women's monastery, which among other things held the memoria for the Ottonian family, had to be richly endowed due to its family and political importance. Even after the Ottonian period, the monastery still received important donations. In April 1945, American troops occupied Quedlinburg. As early as 1943, all parts of the cathedral treasury had been relocated to a cave. A US Lieutenant was now among others in charge of guarding the cave. This officer, well-versed in art history, recognized the importance of the treasure. He managed to steal twelve select pieces and sent them home by field mail. His heirs tried to sell the art on the international art market. After a long legal struggle and ultimately a settlement, ten of the pieces were returned to Germany in 1992, with the settlement paying three million dollars to buy them back. Since September 1993, almost all of the famous cathedral treasures can be viewed here. The Servatius reliquary consists of an ivory case decorated with gold filigree work. The case was most likely made at the court of Charles the Bald in the West Frankish Empire around the year 870 and shows Jesus in conversation with his apostles. The gold mounts were attached around the year 1200. The obverse is decorated with an amethyst, a cameo from the early Roman Empire.

Colonia Copia Claudia Augusta Lugdunum (now Lyon) was an important Roman city in Gaul. It was the capital of the Roman province of Gallia Lugdunensis. The Christianization took place very early. In 177, the Christian community sent a letter naming 48 of their number who had been martyred. In 843 it was ceded to Lorraine and then passed to the Kingdom of Burgundy, whose dominion was entrusted to the Archbishop of Lyon by Frederick Barbarossa in 1157. In 1312 Philip the Fair incorporated Lyon into the kingdom of France. Lyon was the scene of an urban revolt in 1436 when Charles VII increased taxation. The uprising, mainly of small merchants, lasted a total of two months. During the reign of Louis XI. Four fairs were set up, attracting merchants from all over Europe, especially Italy. Lyon became an important center for the spice trade and, more importantly, the silk trade after François I granted the weaving rights, which until then had been an Italian monopoly. Florentine immigrants also made Lyon a financial center for banking and insurance. - It is often said that the most beautiful cities are located on rivers. Lyon is situated on two rivers, the Rhone and the Saone, which meet in the south of the city. - Until 1792, the Museum of Fine Arts building was an abbey whose abbesses came from high French nobility. Because of the abbey's importance, Louis XIV funded major renovations in the 17th and 18th centuries. As a result of the French Revolution, the nuns were expelled from the abbey, and in 1860, the Palais des Arts was established. The collection was greatly expanded. At the beginning of the 20th century, the collection became larger and more diverse. - Diptych part, ivory, 9th/10th Century. Following the description it was either carved in Constantinople or in Metz.. ?? From bottom to top The Magi traveling The Dream of the Magi, The Magi adorating

Salerno (pop. ~ 130.000) is located on the Gulf of Salerno on the Tyrrhenian Sea. The site has been one of the most important and strategic ports on the Mediterranean sea, yielding a rich Greco-Roman heritage. It was an independent Lombard principality in the early Middle Ages. The Normans in 1077 made Salerno the capital of their rule in all of southern Italy. In the 16th century, under the Sanseverino family, among the most powerful feudal lords in southern Italy, the city became a center of learning, culture, and the arts. Salerno has been the seat of an archbishop since 983 and the city's medical school is famous for being the first college or "university" of medieval Europe. The Diocesan Museum is best known for the "Salerno Ivories". A collection of ivory plaques from around the 11th or 12th century that contain elements of Early Christian, Byzantine, and Islamic art as well as influences from Western Romanesque and Anglo-Saxon art. It is the largest unified set of ivory carvings preserved from the pre-Gothic Middle Ages and depicts narrative scenes from both the Old and New Testaments. It is supposed the ivories originated in either Salerno or Amalfi, which both contain identified ivory workshops, however, neither has been definitively linked to the plaques so the city of origin remains unknown. Noah´s ark

Salerno (pop. ~ 130.000) is located on the Gulf of Salerno on the Tyrrhenian Sea. The site has been one of the most important and strategic ports on the Mediterranean sea, yielding a rich Greco-Roman heritage. It was an independent Lombard principality in the early Middle Ages. The Normans in 1077 made Salerno the capital of their rule in all of southern Italy. In the 16th century, under the Sanseverino family, among the most powerful feudal lords in southern Italy, the city became a center of learning, culture, and the arts. Salerno has been the seat of an archbishop since 983 and the city's medical school is famous for being the first college or "university" of medieval Europe. The Diocesan Museum is best known for the "Salerno Ivories". A collection of ivory plaques from around the 11th or 12th century that contain elements of Early Christian, Byzantine, and Islamic art as well as influences from Western Romanesque and Anglo-Saxon art. It is the largest unified set of ivory carvings preserved from the pre-Gothic Middle Ages and depicts narrative scenes from both the Old and New Testaments. It is supposed the ivories originated in either Salerno or Amalfi, which both contain identified ivory workshops, however, neither has been definitively linked to the plaques so the city of origin remains unknown. The Genesis God created plants / Day and night The creation of Eve / The fall of man The expulsion from Paradise / Hard work

In Roman times Ravenna was a lagoon city surrounded by water, with at times up to 50.000 inhabitants. The second largest naval base of the Roman Empire was located here. In the late 5th century, Roman authority in the West dissolved, and Romulus Augustulus was deposed by the general Odoacer in 476. Odoacer ruled as king of Italy for 13 years, but in 489 the eastern emperor Zeno sent the Ostrogoth king Theoderic to reconquer Italy. After losing the Battle of Verona, Odoacer retreated to Ravenna, where he withstood a three-year siege. In 493, Theoderic finally took Ravenna and supposedly killed Odoacer with his own hands. Ravenna became the capital of the Ostrogothic kingdom in Italy. Theodoric died in 526 and various Ostrogothic military leaders took the Kingdom of Italy, but none was really successful. Meanwhile, the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I opposed both Ostrogoth rule. In 535 his general Belisarius invaded Italy and in 540 conquered Ravenna. After the conquest of Italy was completed in 554, Ravenna became the seat of the Byzantine government in Italy. Under Byzantine rule, the archbishop of the Archdiocese of Ravenna held second place in Italy after the pope and played an important role during this period. In 751 Lombard king, Aistulf conquered Ravenna, thus ending Byzantine rule in northern Italy. King Pepin of the Franks attacked the Lombards and Ravenna gradually came under the direct authority of the Popes. Pope Adrian I authorized Charlemagne to take away anything from Ravenna that he liked, and Roman columns, mosaics, statues, and other portable items were taken north to enrich his capital of Aachen. In 1198 Ravenna led a league of Romagna cities against the Emperor. After the war of 1218, the Traversari family was able to impose its rule in the city, but after a short period, Ravenna was returned to the Papal States in 1248 and again to the Traversari until 1275. One of the most illustrious residents of Ravenna at this time was the exiled Florentine poet Dante. In 1441 the city was annexed to the Venetian territories. The Archbishop's Museum is located just behind the Duomo. It dates back to the first half of the 18th century. During the reconstruction or rebuilding of Ravenna Cathedral the inscriptions, mosaic fragments and stone monuments (from the 6th century onwards) found there were placed in a lapidarium. At the beginning of the 20th century the museum was rebuilt and objects from churches of the diocese were added. The Throne of Maximianus is a cathedra made for Archbishop Maximianus of Ravenna. It can be dated to the years 545-553 and was probably carved in Constantinople. It was probably commissioned by Justinian as a gift for Maximianus because he became the new archbishop. It is quite possible that Maximianus acted as regent for the emperor in the remaining Byzantine territory in Italy, since Ravenna had been the western capital of the Roman Empire and the Byzantine Empire. The throne is made of carved ivory panels with frames of twisted vines and grapevines on a wooden frame. The ivory carvings are in relief, and important biblical figures are depicted on the panels. Scenes from the life of Christ are depicted on the back of the throne, and scenes from the story of Joseph from the Book of Genesis can be seen on the sides. Of the former 39 panels, only 27 are still preserved On the backrest are depicted scenes from Bethlehem. Find more photos from Ravenna in this album www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/album/1330038

In Roman times Ravenna was a lagoon city surrounded by water, with at times up to 50.000 inhabitants. The second largest naval base of the Roman Empire was located here. In the late 5th century, Roman authority in the West dissolved, and Romulus Augustulus was deposed by the general Odoacer in 476. Odoacer ruled as king of Italy for 13 years, but in 489 the eastern emperor Zeno sent the Ostrogoth king Theoderic to reconquer Italy. After losing the Battle of Verona, Odoacer retreated to Ravenna, where he withstood a three-year siege. In 493, Theoderic finally took Ravenna and supposedly killed Odoacer with his own hands. Ravenna became the capital of the Ostrogothic kingdom in Italy. Theodoric died in 526 and various Ostrogothic military leaders took the Kingdom of Italy, but none was really successful. Meanwhile, the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I opposed both Ostrogoth rule. In 535 his general Belisarius invaded Italy and in 540 conquered Ravenna. After the conquest of Italy was completed in 554, Ravenna became the seat of the Byzantine government in Italy. Under Byzantine rule, the archbishop of the Archdiocese of Ravenna held second place in Italy after the pope and played an important role during this period. In 751 Lombard king, Aistulf conquered Ravenna, thus ending Byzantine rule in northern Italy. King Pepin of the Franks attacked the Lombards and Ravenna gradually came under the direct authority of the Popes. Pope Adrian I authorized Charlemagne to take away anything from Ravenna that he liked, and Roman columns, mosaics, statues, and other portable items were taken north to enrich his capital of Aachen. In 1198 Ravenna led a league of Romagna cities against the Emperor. After the war of 1218, the Traversari family was able to impose its rule in the city, but after a short period, Ravenna was returned to the Papal States in 1248 and again to the Traversari until 1275. One of the most illustrious residents of Ravenna at this time was the exiled Florentine poet Dante. In 1441 the city was annexed to the Venetian territories. The Archbishop's Museum is located just behind the Duomo. It dates back to the first half of the 18th century. During the reconstruction or rebuilding of Ravenna Cathedral the inscriptions, mosaic fragments and stone monuments (from the 6th century onwards) found there were placed in a lapidarium. At the beginning of the 20th century the museum was rebuilt and objects from churches of the diocese were added. The Throne of Maximianus is a cathedra made for Archbishop Maximianus of Ravenna. It can be dated to the years 545-553 and was probably carved in Constantinople. It was probably commissioned by Justinian as a gift for Maximianus because he became the new archbishop. It is quite possible that Maximianus acted as regent for the emperor in the remaining Byzantine territory in Italy, since Ravenna had been the western capital of the Roman Empire and the Byzantine Empire. The throne is made of carved ivory panels with frames of twisted vines and grapevines on a wooden frame. The ivory carvings are in relief, and important biblical figures are depicted on the panels. Scenes from the life of Christ are depicted on the back of the throne, and scenes from the story of Joseph from the Book of Genesis can be seen on the sides. Of the former 39 panels, only 27 are still preserved The story of Joseph Find more photos from Ravenna in this album www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/album/1330038

In Roman times Ravenna was a lagoon city surrounded by water, with at times up to 50.000 inhabitants. The second largest naval base of the Roman Empire was located here. In the late 5th century, Roman authority in the West dissolved, and Romulus Augustulus was deposed by the general Odoacer in 476. Odoacer ruled as king of Italy for 13 years, but in 489 the eastern emperor Zeno sent the Ostrogoth king Theoderic to reconquer Italy. After losing the Battle of Verona, Odoacer retreated to Ravenna, where he withstood a three-year siege. In 493, Theoderic finally took Ravenna and supposedly killed Odoacer with his own hands. Ravenna became the capital of the Ostrogothic kingdom in Italy. Theodoric died in 526 and various Ostrogothic military leaders took the Kingdom of Italy, but none was really successful. Meanwhile, the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I opposed both Ostrogoth rule. In 535 his general Belisarius invaded Italy and in 540 conquered Ravenna. After the conquest of Italy was completed in 554, Ravenna became the seat of the Byzantine government in Italy. Under Byzantine rule, the archbishop of the Archdiocese of Ravenna held second place in Italy after the pope and played an important role during this period. In 751 Lombard king, Aistulf conquered Ravenna, thus ending Byzantine rule in northern Italy. King Pepin of the Franks attacked the Lombards and Ravenna gradually came under the direct authority of the Popes. Pope Adrian I authorized Charlemagne to take away anything from Ravenna that he liked, and Roman columns, mosaics, statues, and other portable items were taken north to enrich his capital of Aachen. In 1198 Ravenna led a league of Romagna cities against the Emperor. After the war of 1218, the Traversari family was able to impose its rule in the city, but after a short period, Ravenna was returned to the Papal States in 1248 and again to the Traversari until 1275. One of the most illustrious residents of Ravenna at this time was the exiled Florentine poet Dante. In 1441 the city was annexed to the Venetian territories. The Archbishop's Museum is located just behind the Duomo. It dates back to the first half of the 18th century. During the reconstruction or rebuilding of Ravenna Cathedral the inscriptions, mosaic fragments and stone monuments (from the 6th century onwards) found there were placed in a lapidarium. At the beginning of the 20th century the museum was rebuilt and objects from churches of the diocese were added. The Throne of Maximianus is a cathedra made for Archbishop Maximianus of Ravenna. It can be dated to the years 545-553 and was probably carved in Constantinople. It was probably commissioned by Justinian as a gift for Maximianus because he became the new archbishop. It is quite possible that Maximianus acted as regent for the emperor in the remaining Byzantine territory in Italy, since Ravenna had been the western capital of the Roman Empire and the Byzantine Empire. The throne is made of carved ivory panels with frames of twisted vines and grapevines on a wooden frame. The ivory carvings are in relief, and important biblical figures are depicted on the panels. Scenes from the life of Christ are depicted on the back of the throne, and scenes from the story of Joseph from the Book of Genesis can be seen on the sides. Of the former 39 panels, only 27 are still preserved Here from the front are the four evangelists. Above and below friezes depicting animals. Find more photos from Ravenna in this album www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/album/1330038

Louis the Pious founded the bishopric of Hildesheim in 815. The settlement developed into a town and was granted market rights by King Otto III in 983. Craftsmen and merchants were attracted and the city developed into an important community. By 1167, Hildesheim was an almost completely walled market settlement. At the beginning of the 13th century, Hildesheim had about 5,000 inhabitants, and when Hildesheim received its city charter in 1249, it was one of the largest cities in northern Germany. The clergy ruled Hildesheim for four centuries before a town hall was built and the citizens gained influence and independence. In 1367, Hildesheim became a member of the Hanseatic League. But what is now called Hildesheim was various small "suburbs". After centuries of (sometimes armed) disputes, it was not until the end of the 16th century that a union was created and subsequently at least the inner wall was taken down Old and New Town. During the Thirty Years' War, Hildesheim was besieged and occupied several times. In 1813, after the Napoleonic Wars, the town became part of the Kingdom of Hanover, which was annexed by the Kingdom of Prussia as a province after the Austro-Prussian War in 1866. The air raids on Hildesheim in 1944/45 destroyed large parts of the city. Of the 1500 half-timbered houses, only 200 remained. 90 percent of the historic old town was destroyed in the firestorm. - Bishop Gunthar, who was in office in Hildesheim from 815 to 834 had a small basilica built. This served as the original cathedral. The next cathedral was built by Bishop Altfried in 872 as a cruciform three-aisled basilica with a two-story westwork. The building suffered severe fire damage in 1046. Bishop Hezilo built then incorporated the surviving walls into the new building using the foundation of the former basilica. Until the 14th century, further profound changes took place, but without deviating from the ground plan of the basilica. The side chapels date from the Gothic period. From 1840 to 1850, the original west building, which had fallen into disrepair, was replaced by a neo-Romanesque double tower front, which remained in place until 1945. During the air raids on Hildesheim in WWII, the cathedral was completely destroyed except for the west building, the southern nave arcades, and the outer walls. Only the crypt and the Laurentius Chapel from the 11th century were preserved. The cathedral was rebuilt in a simplified form between 1950 and 1960. The baroque elements were abandoned in favor of a form that took its cue from the early Romanesque style. - The "Dommuseum" is the "Schatzkammer" (treasury) of the cathedral. It is located in historic rooms off the southern transept of the Cathedral, the church of St Antonius and part of the cathedral cloisters. Deposition from the Cross, 12th century, Northern Italy

A legend attributes Kraków's founding to the mythical ruler Krakus, who built it above a cave occupied by a dragon, Smok Wawelski. The first written record dates to 965, when Kraków was described as a notable commercial center captured by a Bohemian duke Boleslaus I in 955. The first ruler of Poland, Mieszko I, took Kraków from the Bohemians. In 1038, Kraków became the seat of the Polish government. By the end of the 10th century, the city was a center of trade. Brick buildings were constructed, including the Royal Wawel Castle. The city was sacked and burned during the Mongol invasion of 1241. It was rebuilt and incorporated in 1257 by Bolesław V the Chaste who introduced city rights. In 1259, the city was again ravaged by the Mongols. The third attack in 1287 was repelled thanks in part to the newly built fortifications. The city rose to prominence in 1364, when Casimir III founded the University of Kraków, the second oldest university in central Europe. But after Casimir´s death in 1370 the campus did not get completed. As the capital of the Kingdom of Poland and a member of the Hanseatic League, the city attracted craftsmen from abroad, guilds as science and the arts began to flourish. The 15th and 16th centuries are known as Poland's "Złoty Wiek" (Golden Age). After childless King Sigismund II had died in 1572, the Polish throne passed to Henry III of France and then to other foreign-based rulers in rapid succession, causing a decline in the city's importance that was worsened by pillaging during the Swedish invasion and by an outbreak of bubonic plague that left 20,000 of the city's residents dead. In 1596, Sigismund III of the House of Vasa moved the capital of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth from Kraków to Warsaw. - The Wawel Hill has been the seat of secular and ecclesiastical power since the early Middle Ages. Mieszko I the first historical ruler and creator of the Polish state, chose the hill as the site of one of his residences. His baptism in 966 brought Poland into the orbit of Western culture. The Wawel Cathedral (officialy "Bazylika archikatedralna św. Stanisława i św. Wacława w Krakowie") is for about 1000 years part of the Wawel Castle Complex. The current Gothic cathedral is the third edifice on this site, the Cathedral of St. Wenceslas from 1020 was destroyed in 1038 by the Czech prince Břetislav, the Romanesque cathedral, consecrated in 1142, with the tomb of the holy Stanislaus, burnt down in 1305. A few years later the construction of a Gothic cathedral, started. This was completed in 1346. Since Krakow was Poland's capital until 1609 and the royal castle stood on Wawel Hill, the cathedral also served as the court church, and Poland's kings were buried in the crypt. The Sigismund Bell Tower, built in the second half of the 14th century as part of the fortifications, houses the most venerable bell in Poland, called "Sigismundus". Poland's holy queen Jadwiga (Hedwig of Poland) was buried in the cathedral in 1399. After the Middle Ages, several chapels were added to the cathedral. There are examples of Romanesque, Gothic, Romanesque, Baroque, Neoclassical, and Neogothic elements in the Cathedral's façade and interior. This medieval ivory box is exhibited in the cathedral treasury.