Бронзов реликвиар с изображения на светите апостоли Петър и Павел
A Bronze Reliquary with the Images of the Apostles St Peter and St Paul

Summary/Abstract: The article studies a bronze reliquary of St Peter and Paul discov- ered near the village Pet Mogili (Shoumen region) . A mediaeval fortress is situated near the village with settlements outside where during archaeological excavations lead lamellae with inscriptions, belt applications and decorations from the 10th c . were found . The reliquary has a round shape and consists of two parts, con- nected in the lower and upper end . It was found empty inside but it is possible that it contained parts of relics, relics from the Holly Cross or some other relics . Of greatest interest was the relief images of the Apostles Peter and Paul found on the outer walls . The unique individualization of the images, the high relief and rhythmic drapery of the attires place this reliquary at the end of the 10th – beginning of the 11th c . The paleography of the inscriptions is also archaic and it is similar to that of monuments from this period . The examples, presented in the article and the specificities of the images connect the reliquary with Constantinople . It is one of the few original objects found on the territory of Bulgaria, which have been made in the capital of Byzantium and possibly served as a model for numerous object of the plastic art, created by the local masters .

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