The Sion Treasure Reconsidered: The Biographies and Multivalence of Sacred Silver Objects in Sixth-Century...

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Ahmet Arı

The Sion Treasure Reconsidered

The Biographies and Multivalence of Sacred Silver Objects in Sixth-Century Byzantium

Ahmet Arı

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English

Routledge
26 December 2025

The Arts: General & Reference; History of Art & Design Styles; Medieval history; Archaeology by period & region; Anthropology

Series: Studies in Byzantine Cultural History

In 1963 a collection of fifty-seven silver vessels was discovered during illegal excavations by villagers in Antalya Province, Turkey. The Sion Treasure, named after the inscription ‘Holy Sion’ on several vessels in the hoard, is now divided between five collections: Antalya Museum (Turkey), Dumbarton Oaks (United States), a private collection in Geneva, the Digby-Jones collection and Hewett collection (United Kingdom).

This book builds on the studies of the Sion Treasure and examines questions regarding silver mining, manufacture, and the economic and cultural role of the silver vessels. It considers the treasure using the concept of the cultural biography of objects. The vessels from the Sion Treasure have not previously been considered in this context and the book highlights the fact that the value and significance of the objects at the time they were created does not lie exclusively in their visual characteristics and aesthetics since their relationship to, and with, people is also significant. While their functionality lends them one life story, another biography is gained through their users: the producers, patrons, and individuals within the church, not only the clergy, who engaged with the objects.

The Sion Treasure Reconsidered will appeal to students and scholars alike interested in Byzantine cultural and material history and medieval material history in general.

By: Ahmet Arı
Imprint: Routledge
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 234mm, Width: 156mm,
ISBN: 9781032385365
ISBN 10: 1032385367
Series: Studies in Byzantine Cultural History
Pages: 196
Publication Date: 26 December 2025
Audience: College/higher education , Professional and scholarly , Primary , Undergraduate
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

Introduction Chapter 1: The Silver Vessels from the Sion Treasure Chapter 2: Inscriptions on the Sion Vessels Chapter 3: Silver Stamps on the Sion Treasure Chapter 4: Questions of Circulation, Production and Cost of the Sion Treasure Chapter 5: The Lives and Biographies of the Sion Vessels Bibliography

Ahmet Arı is a lecturer in Byzantine Studies at Nevsehir Hacı Bektas Veli University, Turkey.