Silver Patera (Saucepan-Shaped Vessel)

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Though their function remains elusive, vessels of this shape are among the most characteristic of the late Roman world. This patera was found with a silver dish (47.100.28) and several Roman coins on the site of an ancient Roman temple, suggesting it may have been used for ceremonial purposes. The name inscribed on the handle may refer to the maker or commissioner of the piece.

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