The Metropolitan Museum of Art has a unique artifact in its collection: a holy water situla made in Northern France between 860 and 880. This rare object is an outstanding example of early medieval religious art.
The situla is made of ivory with gilded copper alloy mountings and inlaid with foil.
Situlae, or holy water vessels, were common during the Iron Age among Italic peoples such as the Veneti, Etruscans, Celts, and even Germans. They were used to sprinkle the faithful with holy water, symbolizing purification and blessing.
Ivory situlae are known to be extremely rare, and this example is one of only four earliest examples to survive today. This underscores its exceptional historical and cultural significance.
The surface of the vessel is richly decorated with scenes from the life of Christ, executed with incredible detail. The composition is divided into two registers, each of which is dedicated to key moments in Christian history.
The lower register depicts the "Annunciation to the Virgin Mary", "The Visit of the Blessed Virgin Mary to Saint Elizabeth", "The Nativity of Christ", "The Dream of Joseph" and "The Baptism of Jesus". The upper register depicts the "Betrayal", "The Flagellation", "The Last Supper", "The Ascension", "The Holy Women at the Holy Sepulchre" and "The Crucifixion".
In the 9th century, the use of ivory in religious artifacts indicated the luxury and high significance of the object. At that time, the monastic workshops of Northern France were famous for their skillful carvers who created complex scenes with multi-layered semantic content.
The situla for holy water from the collection of the Metropolitan Museum is a rare cult object and a unique monument of early medieval art. Its exquisite execution and profound symbolism make it an outstanding example of religious heritage that has survived to this day.
Source:
metmuseum.org
licensestorehouse.com
heritage-print.com
