Byzantine Illumination

#byzantine #illuminedmanuscripts #gold 

Just another reminder that Western Europe was not the only place that produced illumined manuscripts. 

Here's an example from the Byzantine world. 

I wonder if perhaps there were illuminations or gold decoration and pictures in classical or hellenistic or late imperial texts and not just christian texts?

A test for linguists

Okay historical linguists and #classicists can you spot the #Greek forms of the word for one and which of the other words are IndoEuropean or not and trace what many have in common?

Gold Hellenistic Coin

While some Greek coins were clearly impressed onto metal from old worn out dies the only technical flaw on this fine piece is that some one didn't quite centre the die and punch properly. 

Its an exquisite piece though ! 

Hellenistic era earrings of Eros

These Hellenistic era earrings depict Eros Decscending from a Cloud maybe unless its a cape behind him or something else. Possibly something biological a certain opening?

Ancient Greek Gold Earrings

Ancient Greek Gold Earrings 

 These were found in Cyprus. There was a fashion even an obsession with Griffins in the Archaic period here expressed as lions with griffin ears and serpent tails forming the spiral for inserting the earrings into a pierced ear or an already inserted loop? Or perhaps these are just lions depicted?

They are however quite exquisite!