Nativity of Jesus

Unknown (Byzantine)


Item type:
decorative art
Date of creation:
7th century
Technique / Medium:
wood

Additional titles

Η Γέννηση του Ιησού
İsa'nın doğumu

    Item location

  • Monē tēs Hagias Aikaterinēs (Mūsá, Jabal) (St. Catherine’s Monastery Mount Sinai | دير سانت كاترين )

Description

In the artifact, the figures are shown in a cave, the Cave of Bethlehem. Right below the manger of Christ is a depiction of a shepherd playing an aulos.

Iconclass

47I221
herding, herdsman, herdswoman, shepherd, shepherdess, cowherd, etc.
48C75
making music; musician with instrument
73B13
Mary, Joseph and the new-born Christ (Nativity)
48C7351
flute, aulos, tibia

Instruments [MIMO Code] (notes)

Aulos [4173]

Image URLs

image link 1
Europeana exhibition: Echos of an Empire--Byzantine Musical Instruments through the Ages
image link 2
Item entry in Koç University GABAM Byzantine Musical Instruments Collection

RIdIM record id

7323

Data provider


Koç University – Stavros Niarchos Foundation Center for Late Antique and Byzantine Studies (GABAM) and The Friends of Music Society in Athens launched the Byzantine Musical Instruments Project in 2018 with Dr. Antonios Botonakis, under the scientific supervision of Prof. Nikos Maliaras. In 2020, the results of the research were integrated with Koç University Suna Kıraç Library’s website to present an online database with various filters to help researchers make in-depth research.
The main objective of the project was to thoroughly document the depictions of Byzantine musical instruments. During the research, a great number of visual representations on artefacts from the wider geographic area of the Byzantine Empire were studied. In the database more than 400 visual representations of musical instruments spread across 136 different cultural institutions in 27 countries around the world are presented to researchers.
In order to encompass the rich variety of the instruments used in the Byzantine times, some recurring visuals have been eliminated from the database to make room for unique visuals. Since the research was conducted by a Post-Doctorate researcher who is a musicologist, the database demonstrating the iconography also provides a unique classification of instruments. This project is a natural partner for the RIdIM database of performing arts images from all cultures and eras.
Project Direction- Engin Akyürek | Scientific Supervision- Nikos Maliaras | Scientific Research- Antonios K. Botonakis | Content Editor & Turkish Translation- Merve Özkılıç | Project Coordination- Barış Altan, Alexandros Charkiolakis | Digital Collection Technical Support- Senem Acar (Digital collection archivist), George Boumpous, Vera Kriezi, Sina Mater (Web design) | Funded by: Koç University – Stavros Niarchos Foundation Center for Late Antique and Byzantine Studies (GABAM)