Early Christian Gold Tablet-Form Pendant, Byzantine Empire 6th–7th century

An Early Christian Gold Pendant in the Form of a Tablet.

Byzantine Empire, 6th–7th century AD.

Dimensions: 3.8 × 2.5 × 0.4 cm.

Weight: 5.63 grams.

A finely worked hollow gold pendant of rectangular tablet form, embossed in relief on both faces.

To the obverse, the scene depicts the Sacrifice of Isaac: Abraham stands behind his kneeling son, arm raised with knife in hand. In the upper left, a radiant solar motif represents the Angel of the Lord intervening, halting the sacrifice. Beneath the solar motif, Greek letters are inscribed. Behind Abraham stands a lamb beneath a tree, symbolising the divinely provided substitute and prefiguring the sacrificial role of Christ.

The reverse features a full-length image of Christ standing in the orant pose, with open hands raised in benediction. He is flanked symmetrically by wild felines—perhaps lions or panthers—each accompanied by further Greek characters. This iconography is evocative of Christ’s dominion over nature and his triumph over chaos and death.

The pendant is equipped with a single suspension loop at the top, while three smaller loops at the base once served to suspend pearls or other decorative elements, now lost.

Provenance: Private English collection, assembled between the late 1970s and early 1990s.