Marble slab with braided cross and eagle relief

Material: Marble
Date range: Late 11th - Early 12th century AD
Origin: Athens, likely (related to the Athenian Sporgites family)

This marble screen closure slab features a prominent composite cross at its center, rendered in high relief with a detailed, braided or interlace pattern. The cross is flanked by various medallions and decorative elements. In the upper quadrants are two circular medallions containing monograms in the form of a cross, possibly representing names. In the middle quadrants, two stylized, eight-petalled rosettes appear. The lower quadrants contain two circular medallions featuring single-headed eagles with wings spread, a common Byzantine motif. Along the left edge of the slab is an incomplete, vertical Greek inscription.

The slab is identified as part of a pair, and the incomplete inscription refers to the renovation of a church screen (templon) by members of the Athenian Sporgites family. This provides a specific historical and geographical context for the artifact, linking it to aristocratic patronage in Late Byzantine Athens. The intricate carving and symbolic imagery of the cross, monograms, and eagles reflect the devotional and social significance of such church furnishings. The stone is well-preserved, showcasing the crisp detail of the relief work.

Museum label reference: Inscribed marble screen-closure slabs decorated with relief composite crosses. Verse incomplete inscription on the banded frame of the two slabs refers to renovation of the church screen by members of the Athenian Sporgites family. Late 11th–early 12th c.

Original Text: Μαρμάρινα ενεπίγραφα θωράκια τέμπλου με ανάγλυφη διακόσμηση σύνθετων σταυρών. Έμμετρη ελλιπής επιγραφή στο ταινιωτό πλαίσιο τους που αναφέρεται σε ανακαίνιση του τέμπλου του ναού από μέλη της αθηναϊκής οικογένειας Σποργίτη. Τέλη 11ου-αρχές 12ου αι. ΒΧΜ 1049, 1050

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