Gemellion with Coronation Scene

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Gemellions, which appeared in the thirteenth century in Limoges, were used for liturgical and secular hand washing. As their name indicates (derived from gemellus, the Latin word for "twin"), these vessels were produced in pairs--one bowl with a small spout to pour water over the hands and the other to serve as a catch basin.

Medieval Art and The Cloisters

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Museum's collection of medieval and Byzantine art is among the most comprehensive in the world. Displayed in both The Met Fifth Avenue and in the Museum's branch in northern Manhattan, The Met Cloisters, the collection encompasses the art of the Mediterranean and Europe from the fall of Rome in the fourth century to the beginning of the Renaissance in the early sixteenth century. It also includes pre-medieval European works of art created during the Bronze Age and early Iron Age.

Metropolitan Museum of Art