This paten, chalice, and fan (BZ.1924.5, BZ.1955.18, and BZ.1936.23, respectively) were said to have been found together at Riha, a small village south of Aleppo in central Syria. Their burial in this area was probably in response to invasions during the early seventh century by Sasanian and Arab forces and, because their owners had to flee or were killed, the silver objects were not retrieved until the early twentieth century. This group and silver treasures from nearby Stuma, Hama, and Antioch were discovered at about the same time, and it has been suggested that these individual hoards actually constituted one large group brought together for protective burial, which was divided into smaller sets after it was unearthed about one hundred years ago.

The chalice, paten, and fan are each impressed with stamps that indicate the emperor’s reign during which it was made. The chalice was fabricated during the reign of Justinian I (527–65), while the paten and fan belong to the reign of his successor, Justin II (565–78). Although the chalice’s date indicates that it was not made along with the paten and fan, the three may well have been used together at a subsequent date. They form a set for use in the Orthodox Eucharist, or Communion: the paten held the leavened bread, still a tradition in Orthodox worship, the chalice contained the wine, and the fan was used to
keep insects away from the bread and the wine. Jesus instituted the Eucharist, as recorded in the gospels of Matthew (26:26–28) and Mark (14:22–24): offerings of bread and wine to the apostles that foreshadowed the sacrifice of Christ’s body and blood.

This paten and a related one from Stuma (Istanbul, Archaeological Museum) illustrate the Communion of the Apostles, the precedent for all Eucharist ceremonies in the Orthodox church. Although part of the Gospel narrative, the representation is symbolic, showing Jesus twice with a cross-halo, behind the altar, officiating as a priest and a deacon, in front of a niche with a shell motif, suggesting the apse of a small church. He distributes wine and bread to the apostles standing to either side of the altar while lamps burn above on top of columns.

Inscribed in handsome niello letters around the edge of the paten is the supplication of its donors: “For the repose (of the soul) of Sergia, (daughter) of John, and of Theodosios, and (for) the salvation of Megalos and Nonnous and their children.” The prayer for Sergia and Theodosios was “repeated” whenever the paten was used, certainly an intended result of the inscription’s placement. The detailed image of the Communion is in the repoussé technique, raising the metal surface by tamping from the back. Gilding has been added for spiritual value, and the lustrous niello further enhances the paten’s aesthetic impression. The use of the paten with its symbolic image contributed to the deeply spiritual character of the Eucharist and accentuated the heartfelt prayer of its donors.

-S. Zwirn

O. K. Wulff, Die altchristliche und byzantinische Kunst Handbuch der Kunstwissenschaft (Berlin-Neubabelsberg, 1913), 199.

L. Bréhier. "Les trésors d'argenterie syrienne et l'école artistique d'Antioche," Gazette des Beaux Arts 62 (1920), 176.

———, The Treasures of Syrian Silverware and the Art School of Antioch (Paris, 1921). "Les trésors d'argenterie syrienne et l'école artistique d'Antioche," Gazette des Beaux Arts 62 (1920), fig. opp. p. 6.

C. Diehl. "L'école artistique d'Antioche et les trésors d'argenterie syrienne," Syria 2 (1921), 81-95, esp. 81, fig. 14.

W. F. Volbach. "Der Silberschatz von Antiochia," Zeitschrift für bildende Kunst 54 (1921), esp. 110.

M. Rosenberg, Der goldschmiede Merkzeichen (Frankfurt am Main, 1922-28), 4, 686-687, pl. 9870-9879.

L. Bréhier, L'art byzantin Les patries de l'art (Paris, 1924), pl. 61.

O. M. Dalton, East Christian Art, A Survey of the Monuments (Oxford, 1925), 330.

C. Diehl, Manuel d'art byzantin (Paris, 1925), 316.

W. Neuss, Die Kunst der alten Christen Von heileger Kunst, Veröffentlichungen des Verbandes der Vereine Katholischer Akademiker zur Pflege der katholischen Weltanschauung (Augsburg, 1926), pl. 138.

H. Peirce, and R. Tyler, Byzantine Art Kai Khosru Monographs on Eastern Art (London, 1926), 26, fig. 19.

L. Matzulevich, Byzantinische Antike. Studien auf Grund der Silbergefässe der Ermitage Archäologische Mitteilungen aus russischen Sammlungen (Berlin and Leipzig, 1929), 63.

W. F. Volbach. "Die byzantinische Ausstellung in Paris," Zeitschrift für bildende Kunst 63 (1930-31), 108.

Exposition internationale d'art Byzantin, exhibition catalogue, Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Palais du Louvre, 28 May-9 July, 1931, (Paris, 1931), 130, no. 410.

J. Braun, Das christliche Altargerät in seinem Sein und in seiner Entwicklung (München, 1932), 202 n. 1, 210, pl. 146.

H. Peirce, and R. Tyler, L'Art Byzantin (Paris, 1932-34), 115, fig. 144.

W. F. Volbach, G. Duthuit, and G. Salles, Art byzantin (Paris, 1933), 62-63, fig. 56.

D. Talbot Rice, Byzantine Art (Oxford, 1935), 162-163, fig. 35a.

L. Bréhier, La sculpture et les arts mineurs byzantins (Paris, 1936), 85-86, fig. 14.

The Dark Ages; Loan Exhibition of Pagan and Christian Art in the Latin West and Byzantine East, exhibition catalogue, Worcester Art Museum, February 20-March 21, 1937, (Worcester, Mass., 1937), 41, no. 115, pl. 115.

C. R. Morey. "Art of the Dark Ages: A Unique Show. The First American Early Christian-Byzantine Exhibition at Worcester," Art News 35, no. 21 (1937), 9-16, 24., esp. 13.

L. Jalabert, and R. Mouterde, Inscriptions grecques et latines de la Syrie,Chalcidique et Antiochène Bibliothèque archéologique et historique (Paris, 1939), no. 695.

The Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection of Harvard University,Handbook of the Collection (Washington, D.C., 1946), 53, no. 102, pl. p. 56.

"Reawakening at Dumbarton Oaks: The Golden Glories of the Byzantine and Early Christian Worlds," Art News 45, no. 10.1 (1946), 15-19; 57-59, esp. 57, pl. VII.

K. Weitzmann. "Byzantine Art and Scholarship in America," American Journal of Archaeology 51 (1947), 394-418, esp. 398, fig. CIV.

S. G. Xydis. "The Chancel Barrier, Solea, and Ambo of Hagia Sophia," Art Bulletin 29 (1947), 1-24, esp. 10.

The Dumbarton Oaks Collection, Harvard University (Washington, D.C., 1955), 55, no. 129, pl. p. 68.

C. Diehl, Byzantium: Greatness and Decline Rutgers Byzantine series (New Brunswick, N.J., 1957), pl. p. 106.

E. C. Dodd, Byzantine Silver Stamps Dumbarton Oaks Studies (Washington, D.C., 1961), no. 20.

O. Nussbaum. "Zum Problem der runden und sigmaförmigen Altarplatten," Jahrbuch für Antike und Christentum 4 (1961), 18-43, esp. 18, pl. 1.

M. C. Ross, Metalwork, Ceramics, Glass, Glyptics, Painting Catalogue of the Byzantine and Early Mediaeval Antiquities in the Dumbarton Oaks Collection (Washington, D.C., 1962), 12-15, no. 10, fig. 11-13.

V. H. Elbern. "Der eucharistische Kelch im frühen Mittelalter," Zeitschrift für Kunstwissenschaft 17 (1963), 1-76, 117-88, esp. 171, pl. 116.

Byzantine Art, an European Art, exhibition catalogue, Zappeion Exhibition Hall, (Athens, 1964), no. 484.

V. H. Elbern, Der eucharistische Kelch im frühen Mittelalter (Berlin, 1964), 134, pl. 116.

K. Wessel, Abendmahl und Apostelkommunion Ikonographia Ecclesiae Orientalis (Recklinghausen, 1964), 9-18.

Handbook of the Byzantine Collection (Washington, D.C., 1967), 17, no. 61.

C. Schug-Wille, Byzanz und seine Welt Kunst im Bild (Baden-Baden, 1969), pl. p. 131.

P. R. L. Brown, The World of Late Antiquity, AD 150-750 (New York, 1971, reprinted 2014), pl. between p. 134-135.

J. L. Schrader. "Antique and Early Christian Sources for the Riha and Stuma Patens," Gesta 18, no. 1 (1979), 147-56.

K. Weitzmann, Age of Spirituality : Late Antique and Early Christian Art, Third to Seventh Century, exhibition catalogue, Metropolitan Museum of Art, November 19, 1977-February 12, 1978, (New York, 1979), 611-612, no. 547, colorpl. 16.

C. Mango. "The Byzantine Collection," Apollo 119 (1984), 21-29, pl. 2.

R. Cormack, Writing in Gold: Byzantine Society and its Icons (London, 1985), 31, pl. 7.

M. M. Mango, C. E. Snow, and T. Drayman Weisser, Silver from Early Byzantium: the Kaper Koraon and Related Treasures, exhibition catalogue, Walters Art Gallery, 18-August 17, 1986, (Baltimore, Md., 1986), no. 35.

J. M. C. Toynbee, and K. S. Painter. "Silver Picture Plates of Late Antiquity: A.D. 300 to 700," Archaeologia 108 (1986), 15-65, no. 80.

R. Warland. "Das Brustbild Christi," Römische Quartalschrift für christliche Altertumskunde und Kirchengeschichte 41 (1986), 74, pl. 70.

R. L. P. Milburn, Early Christian Art and Architecture (Berkeley, 1988), 262, pl. 170.

L. Rodley, Byzantine Art and Architecture: An Introduction (Cambridge [England] ;New York, N.Y., 1994), 98, pl. 72.

J.-P. Caillet, L'art du Moyen Age : Occident, Byzance, Islam Collection Manuels d'histoire de l'art (Paris, 1995), 43, pl. 35.

J. Lowden, Early Christian & Byzantine Art Art & ideas (London, 1997), 80, pl. 42.

M. B. McNamee, Vested Angels : Eucharistic Allusions in Early Netherlandish Paintings Liturgia Condenda (Leuven, 1998).

M. Collins, and M. A. Price, The Story of Christianity: 2,000 Years of Faith (New York, 1999), 102.

J. Durand, L'art byzantin (Paris, 1999), 53, pl. p. 47.

A. D. Lee, Pagans and Christians in Late Antiquity: A Sourcebook (London and New York, 2000), 242, fig. 13.7.

C. L. Connor, Women of Byzantium (New Haven, 2004), 99, pl. 14.

A. Kirin, J. N. Carder, and R. S. Nelson, Sacred Art, Secular Context : Objects of Art from the Byzantine Collection of Dumbarton Oaks, Washington, D.C., Accompanied by American Paintings from the Collection of Mildred and Robert Woods Bliss, exhibition catalogue, Georgia Museum of Art, (Athens, Ga., 2005), 44, pl. 6.

R. S. Nelson, K. M. Collins, and C. Barber, Holy Image, Hallowed Ground : Icons from Sinai, exhibition catalogue, J. Paul Getty Museum, November 14, 2006-March 4, 2007, (Los Angeles, 2006), 216-217, no. 37.

G. Bühl, ed. Dumbarton Oaks: The Collections. Washington, D.C.: Dumbarton Oaks Research Library, 2008, 76-79.

R. Cormack, M. Vasilaki, and B. Mouseio, Byzantium, 330-1453, exhibition catalogue, Royal Academy of Arts, London, October 25, 2008 - March 22, 2009, (London and New York, 2008), 78-79, 383, no. 20.

A. Doig, Liturgy and Architecture from the Early Church to the Middle Ages Liturgy, Worship, and Society (Aldershot, England and Burlington, Vt., 2008), 65, fig. 2.

W. R. Levin. "The Canopy of Holiness at the Misericordia in Florence and Its Sources (Part Two)," Southeastern College Art Conference Review 15, no. 4 (2009), 393-407.

R. Toman, R. Warland, and A. Bednorz, Ars Sacra: Christian Art and Architecture of the Western World from the Very Beginning up until Today (Köln: Basingstoke, 2010), 78.

A. D. Lazaridou, A. Cameron, H. Saradi-Mendelovici, H. Maguire, and S. ?ur?i?, Transition to Christianity: Art of Late Antiquity, 3rd-7th Century AD, exhibition catalogue, Mouseio Vyzantino, Athens, December 7th, 2011- May 14th 2012, (New York and Athens, 2011), 142, no. 106.

N. Thomas, "Recognizing Niello: Three Aegean Daggers," in Exotica in the Prehistoric Medierranean, ed. A. Vianello (Oxford; Oakville, CT, 2011), 146-61, esp. 148, 156, fig., 23.

C. Lakey. "The Curious Case of the Chiarito Tabernacle: A New Interpretation," Getty Research Journal, no. 4 (2012), 13-30, esp. 17, pl. 3.

W. D. Ray, Tasting Heaven on Earth: Worship in Sixth-Century Constantinople The Church at Worship: Case Studies from Christian History (Grand Rapids, Mich., 2012), 29.

T. Frese, Aktual- und Realpräsenz: Das eucharistische Christusbild von der Spätantike bis ins Mittelalter Neue Frankfurter Forschungen zur Kunst (Berlin, 2013), 63, fig. 3.

H. Hunter-Crawley, "Embodying the Divine: The Sensational Experience of the Sixth-Century Eucharist," in Making Senses of the Past: Toward a Sensory Archaeology, ed. J. Day. Center for Archaeological Investigations Occasional Paper (Carbondale, IL, 2013), esp. 165, pl. 8-1.

J. Moorhead, The Roman Empire Divided, 400-700 (Harlow, England; New York, 2013), 209, fig. 13.

D. Krueger, Liturgical Subjects: Christian Ritual, Biblical Narrative, and the Formation of the Self in Byzantium, 2014), 113, pl. 13.

A. Effenberger and N. Asutay-Effenberger, Byzanz: Weltreich der Kunst (Munich: Beck, 2017), 110, fig. 38.

Bulletin of the Fogg Art Museum 10, no. 4 (Dec. 1945), 108, pl. p. 115.

"Stately Outpost," Harvard Magazine (March 1998).

"Icons of the East," The Voice of the Students and Alumni of St. Mary's of Baltimore 20, no. 6 (March, 1943), 9, 28, esp. 9, 28.

B. Fourlas, "Image and Chalcedonian Eucharistic doctrine: a re-evaluation of the Riha paten, its decoration and its historical context," in Byzantinische Zeitschrift vol. 114, no. 3 (2021): 1117-1160.

Paris, Musée des Arts Décoratifs, "Exposition d'art byzantin," May 28 - July 9, 1931.

Worcester, MA, Worcester Art Museum, "Art of the Dark Ages," Feb. 19 - Mar. 29, 1937.

Cambridge, MA, Fogg Art Museum, "A Selection of Ivories, Bronzes, Metalwork and Other Objects from the Dumbarton Oaks Collection," Nov. 15 - Dec. 31, 1945.

Athens, Zappeion Exhibition Hall, "Byzantine Art and European Art," Ninth Exhibition held under the Auspices of the Council of Europe, April 1 - June 15, 1964.

New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art, "Age of Spirituality: Late Antique and Early Christian Art, Third to Seventh Century," Nov. 19, 1977 - Feb. 12, 1978.

Baltimore, Walters Art Gallery, "Silver Treasure from Early Byzantium," Apr. 18 - Aug. 17, 1986.

Los Angeles, J. Paul Getty Museum, "Holy Image, Hallowed Ground: Icons from Sinai," Nov. 14, 2006 - March 4, 2007.

Washington, DC. Dumbarton Oaks, "75 Years/75 Objects: Celebrating 75 Years of the Dumbarton Oaks Museum," September 8, 2015 - May 22, 2016.

London, UK, Royal Academy of Art, "Byzantium, 330-1453," October 25, 2008 - March 22, 2009.

Washington, DC. Dumbarton Oaks, "Cross References," March 26, 2011 - July 31, 2011.

Münster, Germany, LWL-Museum für Kunst und Kultur, "Frieden. Von der Antike bis heute" (Peace. From Antiquity to the Present Day), April 27, 2018 - September 2, 2018.

Cleveland, OH. Cleveland Museum of Art, Lend-back for CMA's participation in Woven Interiors: Furnishing Early Medieval Egypt, August 1, 2019 - January 20, 2020.

Purchased from the dealer Georges Joseph Demotte (1877-1923), Paris, by Mildred Barnes and Robert Woods Bliss, 1924;

Collection of Mildred Barnes and Robert Woods Bliss, Washington, DC 1924 - November 29, 1940;

Gifted to Harvard, November 29, 1940;

Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection, Byzantine Collection, Washington, DC.