Belt with the Monogram of Christ
- Object belonging
- One's own
- Category
- Bronze sculpture
- City
- Rome
- Location
- Museo Nazionale del Palazzo di Venezia
- Specific location
- Store
- Inventory
- PV 09598
- Material and technique
- Bronze
- Author
- Paleochristian School
- Dating
- 4th-5th century
- Dimensions
- 8.4 x 59.2 cm.
- Origin
- Castel S. Angelo (1936)
- Image copyright
- SSPSAE e per il Polo Museale della città di Roma
Short description
This bronze Christian belt consists of eleven parts joined together by twenty-one tiny stylized crosses, one of which is missing. Each part is decorated in the centre by either a flower, in five of the sections, or a monogram with the name of Jesus, in six of the parts. The monogram of Christ, “Chrismon”, was used by Christians because the two Greek letters of which it consists, Chi and Ro, were the first two letters of the Greek word for Christ. It is not clear who would have worn a belt that bore the name of Christ in such ostentatious fashion. The bronze may have been used for special occasions, perhaps during a liturgical celebration or religious rite.
Pietro Cannata
Bibliography
Unpublished