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Palermo (Sicily) "Crown of Constance" 12th-13th c. (?) |
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Palermo (Sicily) "Crown of Constance" 12th-13th c. (?) |
The so-called "crown of Constance" was found in the sarcophagus of Constance of Aragon, who married Frederick II in 1209. This type of crown with pendants, with rows of embroidered pearls and set stones on a gilt silver skull cap, is inspired from the "kamelaukion", the imperial crown worn by the Byzantine emperors since the 6th c. It was therefore an attribute of the royal coronation and so the term "crown of Constance" is a misnomer. The crown may have been worn by Frederick II at his coronation in 1220, but some specialists suggest that it dates from the time of Roger II (crowned in 1130).It is indeed crafted in a style typical of the royal palace workshops in Palermo at that time.
Bibliography
- I Normanni, popolo d'Europa, Roma, Venezia, 1994, Mario D'Onofrio (dir;)
- Trésors romans d'Italie du Sud et de Sicile, Toulouse, Musée des Augustins, 1995, G. Coppola (dir.)Location
Palermo, Tesoro della CattedralePhotography : G. Cappellani