Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Sacred Silver & Stained Glass, Room 83, The Whiteley Galleries

Spoon

1650-1710 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This sacramental spoon comes from the Ethiopian Orthodox church and was used to serve the consecrated wine. It is engraved with the Crucifixion flanked by the Virgin Mary and St John.

The Ethiopian church was part of the Coptic church until 1959, when it became fully independent.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Engraved silver
Brief description
Silver sacramental spoon, Ethiopia, ca.1650-1710
Physical description
Sacramental spoon, the handle cruciform and engraved with Christ on the cross and to his right his mother Mary and to his left St John the apostle.
Dimensions
  • Length: 7.875in
  • Width: 2in
Style
Gallery label
Ethiopian Sacramental Spoon This sacramental spoon comes from the Ethiopian Orthodox church and was used to serve the consecrated wine. It is engraved with the Crucifixion flanked by the Virgin Mary and St John. The Ethiopian church was part of the Coptic church until 1959, when it became fully independent. Ethiopia, 1650-1710. Silver Museum no. 186-1869(22/11/2005)
Object history
Purchased from Mr W.H. Saunders for £1.00. Received November 5th 1868.

Sacred Exhibition RF.2006/484
Historical context
The Eastern Churches
The history of the church around and beyond the eastern Mediterranean is complex. The earliest eastern churches were established in Antioch, Alexandria and other cities in the 1st century. They were independent communities and theological controversy sharpened their differences.

In 330 Constantinople (now Istanbul) became the capital of the Roman empire. Successive bishops of Constantinople, later given the title of patriarch, gradually won authority over other eastern churches, despite the opposition of the pope. Churches that accepted the jurisdiction of the patriarch became known as Orthodox, but others, including those of Armenia and Ethiopia, developed along separate lines. Diversity of practice and doctrine in the eastern churches is reflected in the different kinds of regalia and sacred silver. Yet some forms such as the chalice are common to all, indicating a shared core of beliefs.
Subjects depicted
Summary
This sacramental spoon comes from the Ethiopian Orthodox church and was used to serve the consecrated wine. It is engraved with the Crucifixion flanked by the Virgin Mary and St John.

The Ethiopian church was part of the Coptic church until 1959, when it became fully independent.
Collection
Accession number
186-1869

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdFebruary 7, 2005
Record URL
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest