Can you help? The relevance of the monogram embroidered on Byzantine over-cloaks
Given that we have a pretty wide readership, and many of you are academics, I wonder if anyone can answer a question posed by blog correspondent Dave about monograms that appear in mosaics, particularly at Ravenna. If you can help please add a comment to this post or email me. Thank you in anticipation!
From Dave:
“I have one question which you may be able to answer (I’ve never seen reference to it in any of my readings): in many 5th and 6th century mosaics – notably at Ravenna – martyrs, saints, angels, even Christ himself, often have a monogram embroidered on their over-cloak (himation) which sometimes looks like a Greek letter (gamma or zeta), sometimes an ivy-leaf, or sometimes like nothing identifiable at all – do these have any significance? The monogram between the knees of Christ in the apse at San Vitale is so prominent and conspicuous that I thought it must have been put there for a reason. (or perhaps it’s one of those things that will always be a mystery?).”
Can you help?
This offers a great excuse to post some pictures from our 2009 Mosaic hunting trip to Ravenna which show these monograms!
A youthful, beardless Christ attended by archangels - San Vitale apse
The baptism of Christ - Arian Baptistry, Ravenna
The 26 martyrs adore Christ - Sant Apollinare Nuovo, Ravenna
Related article:
Mosaic Hunting Pictures from Aquileia, Venice and Torcello
