Relics of the Past/ Reliques Du Passe: Treasusres of the Greek Orthodox Church and the Population Exchange/ Tresors De l'Eglise Orthodoxe Grecque Et l'Echange De Population Les Collections Du Musee Benaki

The selection of sacred art objects including tabernacles, plates, bottles, bibs, votive, crosses show the high technical level of the Greek craftsmen. Precious metals, like gold and silver, beautifully decorated with carvings, chisels and shapes embossed and adorned with precious stones like rubies and sapphires, are analyzed in terms of historical and artistic. Each object is recognized style often characterized by traditional Greek and Byzantine style more properly Islamic, as well as Western influences brought by the commercial traffic between Italian ports and Constantinople. The objects come from the Greek Orthodox community stationed on the Turkish coast under the rule of the Ottoman empire from the fourteenth century.