Reliquary Casket of Saints Adrian and Natalia

Q: Where can I see it?

At the Art Institute of Chicago. It measures about 6 by 10 inches and dates to the Romanesque period in northern Spain.

This silver and oak reliquary from around 1100-1200 CE was made in northern Spain to hold sacred relics of Saint Adrian. It's shaped like a miniature tomb with a tiled roof and Romanesque columns. Adrian was a Roman military officer in charge of persecuting Christians in the early 4th century. After watching the courage of those he was tormenting, he converted to Christianity, declared his faith, and was arrested and brutally martyred through dismemberment.

The story of his martyrdom is worked in repoussé (hammered from the reverse) on the four sides of the casket: his trial, his dismemberment, and the transport of his remains to a city near Constantinople by his devoted wife, Saint Natalia. The casket's miniature church architecture reflects the medieval belief that reliquaries should house sacred remains with architectural dignity. It's now at the Art Institute of Chicago.

A Roman officer assigned to persecute Christians in the early 4th century. He was so moved by their courage that he converted and declared himself a Christian. He was arrested, dismembered, and his wife Natalia later transported his remains to safety near Constantinople.

A metalworking technique where thin silver sheets are hammered from the reverse to create raised designs on the front. Specialized tools push the metal forward, creating three-dimensional narrative scenes. It's one of the oldest decorative metalwork methods.

Medieval reliquaries were often designed as miniature churches or tombs to symbolize the sacred nature of their contents. This casket's tiled roof and Romanesque columns give it the dignity of a chapel, elevating the relics inside.

At the Art Institute of Chicago. It measures about 6 by 10 inches and dates to the Romanesque period in northern Spain.

Reliquary Casket of Saints Adrian and Natalia

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