NEW YORK - The Metropolitan Museum of Art presents Africa & Byzantium, a seminal exhibition of nearly 200 works that will explore the tradition of Byzantine art and culture in North and East Africa from the 4th through the 15th century and beyond. On view from November 19, 2023, through March 3, 2024, Africa & Byzantium will shed light on an underrepresented area of art history and showcase a burgeoning new field of interdisciplinary scholarship on medieval Africa. Even though Byzantium was a vast empire that spanned parts of Africa, Europe, and Asia, its extensive connections to Africa have previously been understudied. Bringing together art, religion, literature, history, and archaeology, this innovative exhibition will highlight artworks from the multicultural communities of northern and eastern Africa.

The exhibition focuses on the art from the centuries when much of North Africa was ruled by the Byzantine Empire from its capital in Constantinople and when early Christianity developed in kingdoms on the horn of Africa (the fourth to the seventh century CE). It also addresses the distinctive religious and artistic traditions that flourished in Tunisia, Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia (the 8th to the 15th century CE). Faith, politics, and commerce across land and sea linked these traditions to Byzantium, resulting in a lively interchange of arts and beliefs. Objects in the exhibition span almost two thousand years with a range of media, from monumental frescoes, mosaics, panel paintings, and metalwork, to jewelry, ceramics, and illuminated manuscripts.

This exhibition is made possible by the Ford Foundation, The Giorgi Family Foundation, and Mary Jaharis.

Major support is provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities: Democracy demands wisdom.*

Additional support is provided by an Anonymous Foundation, the Michel David-Weill Fund, The International Council of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Visiting Committee for the Department of Medieval Art and The Cloisters, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

The exhibition is organized by The Metropolitan Museum of Art and The Cleveland Museum of Art.

“This stunning exhibition brings new focus and scholarship to an understudied field, expanding our knowledge of Byzantine and Early Christian Art within an expansive worldview,” said Max Hollein, The Met’s Marina Kellen French Director and CEO. “Through spectacular and widely unknown works of art, Africa & Byzantium illuminates the development, continuity, and adaptation of Byzantine art and culture in North Africa and the Horn of Africa, recentering African artistic contributions to the pre-modern period.”

Andrea Achi, Mary and Michael Jaharis Associate Curator of Byzantine Art at The Met, said: “Africa & Byzantium builds upon the long legacy of The Met’s award-winning Byzantine exhibitions. Bringing together new research from over forty scholars worldwide, the exhibition addresses how diverse communities connected to Byzantium flourished in African empires and kingdoms for over a thousand years. It will broaden public understanding of the Byzantine world, its reach, and transcultural authority and examine the critical role of early African Christian civilizations in this creative sphere.”

The exhibition will foreground the critical role played by early African Christianity and its heritage, traditions, and history in the Byzantine world, while challenging common preconceptions about the arts of both Africa and Byzantium. In presenting Africa as central to the world of late antique and Byzantine worlds, the exhibition considers the global impact of ideas and arts made in northern and eastern Africa.

Exhibition Overview
Africa & Byzantium traces three artistic arcs. From the fourth to the seventh century, early Byzantine visual and intellectual culture was shaped by wealthy patrons, artists, and religious leaders in northern Africa. From the eighth century to the sixteenth century, distinctive Christian religious and artistic traditions flourished in African Kingdoms, and finally, from the seventeenth century to the twentieth century, Ethiopian and Coptic artists in eastern Africa found inspiration in Roman and Byzantine Art. The vibrant and inspiring art displayed throughout the exhibition will culminate with a trio of contemporary works, which bring alive themes of translation, circulation, and memory, raising critical questions about where and when Byzantium “ends.”

Africa in Late Antiquity 
Northern Africa included some of the wealthiest provinces of the late Roman/early Byzantine empire. The remarkable objects in this section demonstrate the wealth and status of diverse communities between the Mediterranean and the Red Sea and give powerful expression to their values and systems of belief. The objects explore how different multi-faith cultural influences were adapted to unique regional tastes, including Christian aesthetics, Greek traditions, and the underexplored connections between Judaism and Byzantium. This section will feature early Byzantine Icons from the Holy Monastery of Saint Catherine’s at Sinai; virtuosically carved ivories from late antique Nubia; gold, amethyst, and pearl jewelry from Alexandria, Egypt; and exquisite, richly colored limestones and marble mosaics from Tunisian museums, traveling to the United States for the first time.

Mosaic Panel with Preparations for a Feast, North African (Carthage, Tunisia), 4th quarter of the 2nd century. Marble, limestone, glass paste; 213 × 235 × 6.5 cm, 120 kg. Musée du Louvre, Department of Greek, Etruscan, and Roman Antiquities, Paris. © Musée du Louvre, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais / Photo by Herve Lewandowski / Art Resource, NY.

Mosaic of Lion Attacking Onager, North African (Sousse, Hadrumetum, Tunisia), 150–200 C.E. Stone and glass tesserae, 98.4 × 160 × 7.6 cm, 81.2 kg. The J. Paul Getty Museum, Villa Collection, Malibu, California (73.AH.75). Digital image courtesy of Getty’s Open Content Program.

Vase, North African (Tunis El Aouja, Navigius school), 290–320. African red slip ware, 25 × 11 × 13.6 cm. Musée du Louvre, Department of Greek, Etruscan, and Roman Antiquities, Paris. © RMN-Grand Palais / Art Resource, NY. Photo by Tony Querrec.

Successful workshops in Byzacena (modern Sousse, El Jem, and Sbeitla) and Proconsular Africa (Carthage and surrounding area) withstood the region’s unstable political upheavals during the late Roman, Vandal, and early Byzantine periods. The Latin text ex Officina Navigi (from the workshop of Navigius) on is often included on vessels such as this one, a reference to one of Tunisia’s most well-known pottery production centers. Navigi vessels were stamped or incised with this phrase, just as luxury brands today include their logos to announce the authenticity of their products. This workshop was known for a complex vessel type called the head flagon (lagynos), which emerged from an ancient tradition of depicting youths, elders, or foreigners. The intricate scenes show the exploits of storied mythological characters, such as Dionysus and Victory. These wares were made by joining two or three elaborately molded pieces together before firing. Often, the fingerprints of the potters can be seen on the vessels’ sides.

Jug, North African (Tunis El Aouja, Navigius school), 290–320. African red slip ware, 23 × 11.5 × 11 cm. Musée du Louvre, Department of Greek, Etruscan, and Roman Antiquities, Paris. © RMN-Grand Palais / Art Resource, NY. Photo by Tony Querrec.

North African workshops made glossy red pottery that circulated across the Mediterranean basin. Successful workshops in Byzacena (modern Sousse, El Jem, and Sbeitla) and Proconsular Africa (Carthage and surrounding area) withstood the region’s unstable political upheavals during the late Roman, Vandal, and early Byzantine periods. Notice the Latin text ex Officina Navigi (from the workshop of Navigius) on this jug, a reference to one of Tunisia’s most well-known pottery production centers. Navigi vessels were stamped or incised with this phrase, just as luxury brands today include their logos to announce the authenticity of their products. This workshop was known for a complex vessel type called the head flagon (lagynos), which emerged from an ancient tradition of depicting youths, elders, or foreigners. The intricate scenes show the exploits of storied mythological characters, such as Dionysus and Victory. These wares were made by joining two or three elaborately molded pieces together before firing. Often, the fingerprints of the potters can be seen on the vessels’ sides.

Bottle, North African (Tunisia), 275–325. African red slip ware, 20.5 × 12.5 cm, 0.8 kg. Musée du Louvre, Department of Greek, Etruscan, and Roman Antiquities, Paris. © Musée du Louvre, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais / Photo by Herve Lewandowski / Art Resource, NY.

Amphora, North African (Tunis El Aouja, Navigius school), 290–320. African red slip ware, 27.9 × 11 cm, 0.8 kg. Musée du Louvre, Department of Greek, Etruscan, and Roman Antiquities, Paris. © RMN-Grand Palais / Art Resource, NY. Photo by Tony Querrec.

Lagynos, North African (Tunisial), 290–320. African red slip ware, 18.7 × 15.5 cm, 0.6 kg. Musée du Louvre, Department of Greek, Etruscan, and Roman Antiquities, Paris. © Musée du Louvre, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais / Photo by Herve Lewandowski / Art Resource, NY.

Mosaic with the "Lady of Carthage", 4th–5th century, North African (Carthage, Tunisia). Marble, limestone, and glass paste; 110 × 106 cm, 120 kg. © Musée National de Carthage. Photo: Imed Sid Ommou. 

Archaeologists discovered this mosaic in an elite villa in Carthage. The nimbed (haloed) woman gestures a sign of blessing while grasping a scepter firmly. Her military attire consists of an intricately embroidered coat fastened with an imperial fibula, or clasp. This figure is not a portrait. Rather, she likely embodies the personification of Carthage. North African mosaics from the fifth and sixth centuries had a muted color palette compared to those from earlier centuries, hinting that some local Roman quarries ceased their operations. This mosaic might have been made after the Vandals, a Germanic tribe, conquered central North Africa in 439.

Rock Crystal Dish in the Form of a Temple, North African (Carthage), 3rd–5th century. Rock crystal, 6 x 4.1 cm. Bequest of Ada Small Moore, 1955, (55.135.5). © 2000–2024 The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

This rock crystal carving found in a cistern in Carthage (now in Tunisia, North Africa) demonstrates the quality of the arts of that great city as the Roman world became Byzantine. The Roman naturalist Pliny, describing its beauty, believed crystal to come from snow. It was thought to protect against kidney ailments and other diseases.

Rock crystal Statuette of a Lion, North African (Carthage), 3rd–4th century. Rock crystal, 3.8 x 5.4 x 2.5 cm. Bequest of Ada Small Moore, 1955, (55.135.6). © 2000–2024 The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

A groove on the bottom suggests that this tiny lion was formerly mounted onto another object, possibly a scepter.

Five rock crystal works found in a cistern in Carthage (now in Tunisia, North Africa) demonstrate the quality of the arts of that great city as the Roman world became Byzantine. The Roman naturalist Pliny, describing its beauty, believed crystal to come from snow. It was thought to protect against kidney ailments and other diseases.

Fragment of a Rock Crystal Bowl, North African (Carthage), 3rd–5th century. Rock crystal, 4.5 x 9.4 x 4.2 cm. Bequest of Ada Small Moore, 1955, (55.135.7). © 2000–2024 The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Fish and shells carved in relief decorate this fragment. When the bowl was complete, it may have been suspended by chains and filled with oil for use as a lamp.

This rock crystal carving found in a cistern in Carthage (now in Tunisia, North Africa) demonstrates the quality of the arts of that great city as the Roman world became Byzantine. The Roman naturalist Pliny, describing its beauty, believed crystal to come from snow. It was thought to protect against kidney ailments and other diseases.

Rock crystal Bowl, North African (Carthage), 3rd–5th century. Rock crystal, 3.5 x 8.1 x 6.9 cm. Bequest of Ada Small Moore, 1955, (55.135.8). © 2000–2024 The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Five rock crystal works found in a cistern in Carthage (now in Tunisia, North Africa) demonstrate the quality of the arts of that great city as the Roman world became Byzantine. The Roman naturalist Pliny, describing its beauty, believed crystal to come from snow. It was thought to protect against kidney ailments and other diseases.

Rock Crystal Statuette of a Dolphin, North African (Carthage), 3rd–5th century. Rock crystal, 5.2 x 16.1 x 3.2 cm. Bequest of Ada Small Moore, 1955, (55.135.9). © 2000–2024 The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

This rock crystal carving found in a cistern in Carthage (now in Tunisia, North Africa) demonstrates the quality of the arts of that great city as the Roman world became Byzantine. The Roman naturalist Pliny, describing its beauty, believed crystal to come from snow. It was thought to protect against kidney ailments and other diseases.

Box with Isis-Tyche-Aphrodite and Dionysus-Serapis, mid 4th–5th century, Early Byzantine (Egypt). Ivory, 15.2 × 8.9 × 5 cm. Dumbarton Oaks Research and Library, Byzantine Collection, Washington D.C. © Dumbarton Oaks, Byzantine Collection, Washington, DC.

The style and iconography of this box is part of a Hellenistic tradition, yet the meaning behind the work has roots in Egyptian religion. Syncretic imagery that combined different forms of belief remained popular in Egypt through the early Byzantine period. For example, on this ivory box, Isis bears the same attributes featured on the painted panel. She also carries a basket of fruit and a rudder connecting her to the Roman goddess Tyche-Fortuna, while the Eros holding a mirror to her left links her to Aphrodite. On the other side of the box is the Greek god Dionysus. He is flanked by a maenad (left) and a satyr (right).

Panel with Painted Image of Isis, 2nd century, Egypt. Tempera on wood, 40 × 19.1 × 1.3 cm. The J. Paul Getty Museum, Villa Collection, Malibu, California (74.AP.22). Digital image courtesy of Getty’s Open Content Program

Textile Fragment with Satyr and Maenad, 4th century, Byzantine (Egypt). Undyed linen and dyed wool; plain weave ground with tapestry weave; 139 × 86.4 cm, 29.5 kg (unmounted). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund (1975.6). Courtesy of The Cleveland Museum of Art.

A satyr and maenad embrace beneath an arcade, the positions of their feet suggestive of dancing. This fragment was originally part of a larger wall hanging, likely connecting to another section depicting Dionysus, the Greco-Roman god of wine and fertility. With its painterly tapestry weave and monumental scale, the textile is considered a masterpiece of Egyptian textile production. Classical imagery on early Byzantine textiles spoke more to the personal identity of the user than to their religious beliefs, often communicating ideals of social class and education. This monumental textile may have adorned the walls of a grand home or public space, expressing an atmosphere of conviviality.

Funerary Figure of a Woman, 3rd–4th century, Coptic (Egypt). Limestone, gesso, pigment; 88 × 51 × 30 cm, 102.7 kg. Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund (70.132). Photo by Brooklyn Museum.

Combining Greco-Roman and Egyptian styles, this funerary portrait was originally nestled into an architectural niche. The woman wears a floral garland and holds a ritual container for oil or Nile water. She was likely from a wealthy community in Oxyrhynchus (modern El Bahnasa). While we are not certain what language she spoke, Egyptian was used by most of the population. At the same time, Greek was the main language of written communication in the early Byzantine period, and, like the art of the period, aspects of it inflected the Egyptian language and culture.

Pectoral with Coins and Pseudo-Medallion, ca. 539–50, Byzantine. Gold, niello; 23.9 x 21.9 x 1.6 cm (overall); 338g (weight). Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917 (17.190.1664). © 2000–2024 The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Earrings, 6th–7th century, Byzantine. Gold, pearls; 8.3 x 3.1 x 0.7 cm (overall). Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917 (17.190.1665 & 17.190.1666). © 2000–2024 The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Necklace with Pendant Crosses, 6th–7th century, Byzantine. Made in probably Constantinople. Gold, pearl sapphire, smokey quartz, quartz; 45.2 cm. Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917 (17.190.1667). © 2000–2024 The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Multicolored jewelry was very popular in the early Byzantine world. Artisans procured gold and gems from African trade routes, while pearls were likely sourced from the Persian Gulf.

Pair of Bracelets, ca. 400, Byzantine. Made in probably Rome. Gold; 6.8 × 5.9 × 4.6 cm & 7 x 5.9 x 4.8 cm. Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917 (17.190.1668 & 17.190.1669). © 2000–2024 The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The medallions and hoops of these handsome bracelets were worked by tracing the design onto a gold sheet and then punching holes in the background to reveal the pattern of small doves.

Pair of Jeweled Bracelets, 500–700, Byzantine. Made in probably Constantinople. Gold, silver, pearl, amethyst, sapphire, opal, glass, quartz, emerald plasma; 3.7 x 8.2 cm & 3.8 x 8.2 cm. Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917 (17.190.1670 & 17.190.1671). © 2000–2024 The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

These elaborately decorated bracelets have richly jeweled exteriors and finely detailed opus interrasile patterns on their interiors. The luminous beauty of pearls was highly prized in the Byzantine world.

Textile Fragment with Artemis and Actaeon(?), 5th–7th century, Byzantine (Akhmim (?), Egypt). Linen and wool; tapestry and plain weave; 147.3 × 183 cm. The British Museum, London. © The Trustees of the British Museum.

The Greek goddess of the hunt, Artemis, hovers in the air. She carries a bow and wears a crown of arrows. The hunter Actaeon is on the left and leans on his staff. Vibrant dancers sway in three columns. To understand their story, audiences needed a basic familiarity with Greek or Roman literature and plays. In the early Byzantine period mythological scenes like this marked status and education and were popular in domestic contexts, appearing on textiles, furniture, boxes, and chests. This fragment was likely woven at a workshop in Panopolis (Akhmim, Egypt), a town renowned for its production of gorgeous, large-scale textiles.

“Bright as the Sun”: Africa after Byzantium  
The second part of the exhibition reveals the ways in which northern and eastern African artists used imagery to interact with different identities, such as the continued development and expansion of the distinctive local forms of Christianity and Christian art in the region. The anchor of this section will be monumental medieval Nubian wall paintings. Medieval Nubians moved in multiple cultural worlds; in addition to their indigenous language, many of the elites were fluent in Greek, Coptic (Egyptian), and, later, Arabic. Nubian material and visual culture were equally complex. The exhibition will feature representations of Nubian bishops and dignitaries from the Great Cathedral of Faras, which is currently submerged in the Nile. Other highlights will be rarely seen loans from the Holy Monastery of Saint Catherine’s at Sinai, exceptional Coptic manuscripts and icons, and Ethiopian icons that juxtapose artistic styles from the Mediterranean, Western Europe, and Eastern Africa. The section reflects on systems of periodization and explores the questions: where and when does Byzantium end?  

Jug, 100 B.C.E.–300 C.E., Nubian (Karanog, Egypt). Bronze, 16.5 × 13 × 11 cm. Loaned by the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, Philadelphia, U.S.A. (E7513). Courtesy of the Penn Museum (E7513)

Bronze figures of Black Africans were used throughout the Roman Empire and attest to the Roman world’s diversity. The vessels distinctive among ancient anthropomorphic metalwork for how they treat otherness. For example, this large jug was found in Karanog, an upper-middle-class Nubian town. The figures on the jug are Hellenistic in style and prompt the question of their meaning to the Nubian owners.

Bust of an African Child, 2nd–3rd century C.E., Roman (Samanud, Egypt). Bronze, 12.7 × 10 × 4.9 cm. Lent by Museum of Art, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, Gift of Mrs. Gustav Radeke 11.035. Courtesy of the RISD Museum, Providence, RI.

Bronze figures of Black Africans were used throughout the Roman Empire and attest to the Roman world’s diversity. This bust of an African child is in the form of a perfume or incense holder, called a balsamarium. These containers usually have two loops and a lid, and generally were made through a lost-wax process, by pouring molten metal into a mold with a wax-and-clay core. Such vessels are distinctive among ancient anthropomorphic metalwork for how they treat otherness.

Lamp, after 100 C.E., Roman (Timgad, Algeria). Bronze. Overall with knobs: 2.9 × 2.5 × 0.9 cm. Musée du Louvre, Department of Greek, Etruscan, and Roman Antiquities, Paris. © RMN-Grand Palais / Art Resource, NY. Photo by Tony Querrec

Bronze figures of Black Africans were used throughout the Roman Empire and attest to the Roman world’s diversity. This lamp was found in Thamugadi (present-day Timgad, Algeria), an important ancient city in Numidia. When in use, a flame would have protruded from the figure’s lips, animating the lamp. Careful rendering of the hair and facial features suggests that the metalworker was familiar with the physiognomy of Black Africans. Such vessels are distinctive among ancient anthropomorphic metalwork for how they treat otherness.

Beaker,ca. 50–250 C.E., Nubian (Meroe, Sudan). Ceramic, painted; 8.9 × 6.6 cm. On loan from ROM (Royal Ontario Museum), Toronto, Canada. With permission of ROM (Royal Ontario Museum), Toronto, Canada. ©ROM

Cylindrical Jar with Two Small Handles, ca. 300 B.C.E.–350 C.E., Nubian (Sudan). Ceramic, painted. Overall with mounting: 40.6 × 19.1 cm. On loan from ROM (Royal Ontario Museum), Toronto, Canada. With permission of ROM (Royal Ontario Museum), Toronto, Canada. ©ROM

 Did you know that there are more pyramids in Sudan than in Egypt? Beakers, such as this one, cups, and jars were among the most common vessel types discovered at the royal pyramids in Meroë, the southern capital of the Nubian kingdom of Kush (ca. 591 bce–350 ce). Painted pottery from the region often bears a cream slip with red, brown, or black paint.

Cup with Impressed Decoration, 50–250 C.E., Nubian (Meroe, Sudan). Earthenware. Overall with mounting: 3 1/2 × 4 in. (8.9 × 10.2 cm. On loan from ROM (Royal Ontario Museum), Toronto, Canada. With permission of ROM (Royal Ontario Museum), Toronto, Canada. ©ROM

Did you know that there are more pyramids in Sudan than in Egypt? Beakers, cups, and jars were among the most common vessel types discovered at the royal pyramids in Meroë, the southern capital of the Nubian kingdom of Kush (ca. 591 bce–350 ce). Painted pottery from the region often bears a cream slip with red, brown, or black paint. However, stamping formed the core of its decorative program and remained central to Nubian artistic practice despite Ptolemaic, Roman, and early Byzantine influences that heavily utilized paint. Meroitic pottery featured motifs that were popular in Egypt, such as the ankh symbol seen on this cup. This variation of the ankh, tucked into a half-crescent, appears frequently in Meroitic ceramic decoration.

Globular Jar, 50–250 C.E., Meroitic (Sudan). Earthenware. Overall with mounting: 15.2 × 17.1 cm. On loan from ROM (Royal Ontario Museum), Toronto, Canada. With permission of ROM (Royal Ontario Museum), Toronto, Canada. ©ROM

Box, 4th–6th century, Nubian (Egypt or Sudan). Wood, ivory, and bronze, 22.2 × 26 × 24.9 cm, 3.7 kg. The British Museum, London. © The Trustees of the British Museum

This wood-and-ivory box with bronze fittings does not have a known archaeological context, but it was likely made in late antique Nubia. Though none of the women on this box have dark skin, their full noses and braided hair may encourage modern viewers to describe them as Black. Nonetheless, the use of this term unhelpfully conflates modern and ancient perceptions of skin color and race. From these representations alone, we cannot know the original intent of the Nubian artist.

Toilet Box, 100 B.C.E.– 300 C.E., Meroitic (Karanog, Egypt). Wood and ivory, 28.1 × 26.9 × 23.1 cm. Loaned by the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, Philadelphia, U.S.A. (E7519). Courtesy of the Penn Museum (450027)

An ornate panel on the dark brown wood-and-ivory container depicts two women standing in architectural niches, beneath which lie a pair of sphinxes or lions. The box was excavated from a grave in Karanog, a Nubian town with both elite and middle-class houses and a cemetery with graves that contained numerous goods. Though none of the women on this box have dark skin, their full noses and braided hair may encourage modern viewers to describe them as Black. Nonetheless, the use of this term unhelpfully conflates modern and ancient perceptions of skin color and race. From these representations alone, we cannot know the original intent of the Nubian artist.

 Ashburnham Pentateuch, late 6th–early 7th century, Late Roman (Rome or North Africa). Ink and colors on parchment, 142 folios, 39.5 × 33.5 cm. Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Département des Manuscrits, Paris. © Bibliothèque nationale de France

The Ashburnham Pentateuch, comprising scenes from the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, includes exceptional depictions of people of color. The upper register of this folio represents the tenth plague—the death of the firstborns of Egypt. Anguished mothers, painted in a light shade of pinkish beige, mourn their eldest male children. The fathers and boys are painted dark brown. The skin differences suggest the multiethnic composition of Egyptian society. Other pigments rarely found in late antique manuscripts appear as well, including indigo and Egyptian blue.

Capital with Putti Holding Wreaths and with Acanthus Leaves, second half 4th century. Found Egypt, Kharga Oasis, Hibis. Limestone; carved in relief. H. 49 cm; W. 58 cm; D. 58 cm; Wt. 98.4 kg. Rogers Fund, 1910 (10.177.1). © 2000–2024 The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 

Icon of the Virgin Enthroned, 6th century, Byzantine (Egypt). Wool, 178 × 110 cm, 29.5 kg. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Leonard C. Hanna Jr. Fund (1967.144). Courtesy of The Cleveland Museum of Art.

This textile is among the earliest extant icons. Mary, holding the infant Christ, sits on a jeweled throne with the archangels Michael and Gabriel at her sides. "The Holy Mary" is inscribed above her in Greek. Columns with ornate capitals that resemble those in contemporary churches support a lintel. The entire cloth is surrounded by a floriate border, with busts of the evangelists and the apostles in roundels encircling the lower portion. The textile probably served as a wall hanging in a place of worship. Though likely produced in Egypt, the icon resembles sacred objects throughout the larger Byzantine world and beyond.

Icon with the Virgin and Child, Saints, Angels, and the Hand of God, Early Byzantine (Egypt), 6th century, Early Byzantine (Egypt). Encaustic on panel, 68.5 × 49.5 cm. The Holy Monastery of Saint Catherine, Sinai. © Holy Monastery of Saint Catherine

This painting is one of the oldest surviving icons in the world. Mary sits on a bejeweled throne wearing red shoes, attributes of imperial imagery. Holding the infant Jesus on her lap, she is flanked by Saints Theodore and George holding their martyrs’ crosses and wearing military dress. Behind these stiffly formal figures, two angels lean backward, looking upward to link the scene to the hand of God extending down from the heavens. Similar images remained popular for centuries from Constantinople to Ethiopia. The icon was possibly given to the Holy Monastery of Saint Catherine in Sinai by the Byzantine emperor Justinian when he ordered the site fortified and provided with a church, between 548 and 565.

Ampulla (Flask) of Saint Menas, ca. 610–50, Byzantine (Egypt). Earthenware, molded; 8.5 x 6.9 x 1.8 cm. Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917, 17.194.2291. © 2000–2024 The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

This molded earthenware ampulla (flask) features the image of Saint Menas, his arms outstretched in a gesture of prayer (orant). An important figure in African Christianity, Saint Menas was a Roman soldier martyred in the third or fourth century. He appears framed by two camels, which are believed to have carried his body after his death to the site of his burial. Flasks such as this were produced for pilgrims from across Africa and the Mediterranean basin who visited this site.

Necklace and Pendant Cross, 500–700. Made in Medinet Habu (near Thebes), Byzantine Egypt, Coptic (Egypt). Rock crystal, silver mount. Rogers Fund, 1908, (08.202.27a, b). © 2000–2024 The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Rock crystal was a prized material because specialized artisans carefully carved pieces out of solid blocks of the rare transparent crystal, a luxury import. This necklace is thought to have been found near a Christian church dedicated to the popular warrior saint Theodore Stratelates. The necklace may have belonged to a high-ranking bishop there. 

Tile with Lion, second half 6th century, North African ( Carthage, Tunisia). Beige slip, 29.2 × 29.3 cm, 3.5 kg. © Musée National de Carthage. Photo: Imed Sid Ommou

Mosaic with Lion, 6th centuryMade in Tunisia, excavated Hammam Lif Synagogue, North African (Hammam Lif, Tunisia). Stone tesserae, 74.5 × 107.3 × 4.1 cm, 78 kg. Brooklyn Museum, New York, Museum Collection Fund (05.18). Photo by Brooklyn Museum 

Is this a Lion of Judah, or just a lion? Depictions of lions often accompanied ritual inscriptions in Levantine mosaics, but they also became more prevalent in mosaics found in villas, basilicas, and churches after the Byzantine conquest of North Africa. The placement of this section alongside other wildlife scenes on the mosaic floor indicates that the lion here reflects a regional style rather than the specific Jewish symbol.

Casket with Warriors and Dancers, 11th century. Made in Constantinople, Byzantine. Ivory and bone; gilded copper mounts, 20.3 x 28.9 x 19.1 cm. Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917, (17.190.239). © 2000–2024 The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Like the late antique Nubian boxes in the previous gallery, Byzantine ivory boxes were carved with playful scenes and a diverse cast of characters. Childlike figures tending to animals, performing battles, or dancing adorn this box. At least three depicted appear to be Black Africans with tightly curled hair. The ivory for this box likely made its way to Constantinople through a trade port in Alexandria, Egypt. Indian Ocean and Red Sea trade routes were Byzantium’s primary networks for ivories, which were sourced from Sudan, Eritrea, Somalia, and India.

Wall Painting with Bishop Petros Protected by Saint Peter, late 10th century, Nubian (Faras). Plaster and temepra, 240 × 101 × 4.8 cm, 47.5 kg. ©National Museum, Warsaw.

This painting features Bishop Petros protected by his heavenly namesake, Saint Peter the Apostle. Petros is dressed in episcopal robes, with a book in his left hand and his right raised in a gesture of blessing. Wound around his fingers is an enchirion, a liturgical scarf that was an element of the episcopal costume distinctive to Nubia. His name is found in the Greek inscription accompanying the image: "Abba Petros, bishop and metropolitan of Pachoras [may he live] many years!" The inclusion of his name indicates that the image was painted in the bishop’s lifetime.

Wall Painting with Christ and a Nubian Dignitary, mid 12th century, Nubian (Faras). Plaster on tempera, 220 × 75 × 5 cm, 42 kg. © National Museum, Warsaw.

Christ holds a book in his left hand, raising his right in a gesture of blessing to protect a young man. While Christ wears a Byzantine-style chiton (tunic) and a himation (cloak), the young man is dressed in typical garments worn by Nubian rulers, with a characteristic flared robe, a sash, and a crown with a half-moon. On his chest hangs an encolpion, a cross medallion with an icon. The Greek inscription accompanying the painting suggests that the ruler’s name may have been Aaron. Nubian artists often depicted biblical figures with yellow and white paint and contemporary figures with shades of brown. We do not know why the Nubian artist decided to mark color difference in their paintings.

Panel Painting with the Crowned Nursing Virgin and the Twelve Apostles, second half 15th century, Ethiopian (Ethiopia). Paint on wood, 28.5 × 41.5 × 2 cm. © National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., Gift of Joseph and Patricia Brumit; Conservation of this work supported by the Smithsonian Institution Women’s Committee (2004-7-1). Photograph by Franko Khoury

The inscription on the upper frame reads "Our Lady Mary with her Beloved Son." First seen in the 1450s, the iconography of the Nursing Virgin became the main motif of Ethiopian panel paintings depicting Mary for several centuries. The theme was also developed in homilies included in the synaxarion, a collection of readings for liturgical feast days. During this same period, the Crowned Virgin often also assumed the form of the Nursing Virgin, an aspect rare in many Christian traditions but well developed in Ethiopia and Egypt.

Diptych with Saint George and the Virgin and Child, late 15th–early 16th century, Ethiopian (Ethiopia). Paint on wood, 52 × 66.8 × 3 cm. © National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., Gift of Joseph and Patricia Brumit; Conservation of this work supported by the Smithsonian Institution Women’s Committee (2004-7-1). Photograph by Franko Khoury

Panel paintings became widespread in Ethiopia only in the fifteenth century, likely in response to the expansion of Mary’s cult championed by the emperor Zärʾa Yaʿǝqob (1399–1468). This diptych features images popular in Ethiopian art of this period. Here, the Virgin and Child face a mounted Saint George, who, according to contemporary texts, remains at the Virgin’s side when not carrying out a mission on her behalf. Independently, the image of him slaying the dragon to save the princess of Beirut spread across Ethiopia to the eastern Mediterranean and Horn of Africa, inspired by the growing circulation of texts on the saint’s life.

Psalter, 15th century, Ethiopian (Tigray, Ethiopia). Ink and tempera on parchment, 31 × 22 cm. Collection of the Académie des Sciences / Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Département des Manuscrits, Paris. © Académie des sciences, on deposit at the Bibliothèque nationale de France, Département des Manuscrits, fonds d'Abbadie

Ethiopian psalters usually contain the Psalms of David, with the Canticles (praise hymns), the Song of Songs, and the Magnificat of Mary. According to the Ethiopian Church, King David was the sole author of the Psalms. Here, his full-page portrait shows him playing the begena, a type of box-lyre. Until the twentieth century, the instrument was an Ethiopian status symbol, played only by elite and royal men and signifying their high social and economic standing.

Tray, late 13th–early 14th century. Made in Egypt. Brass; engraved and inlaid with silver and black compound; H. 3.8 cm; Diam. 76.8 cm. Edward C. Moore Collection, Bequest of Edward C. Moore, 1891, 91.1.604. © 2000–2024 The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Late thirteenth- to fourteenth-century Mamluk trays at Lalibela (Ethiopia) are covered entirely with lavish silver inlays. These rare examples illustrate the virtuoso craftsmanship of the metalworkers still active in Cairo during a time when the growing scarcity of metal supplies contributed to the industry’s decline there. Characteristics of that production era include the concentric design with prominent calligraphy inscribed in elegant thuluth (that is, script with tall letter shafts), which the Mamluks then preferred. Similar trays were found in the church treasuries of Lalibela.

Candlestick Base, first half 14th century. Attributed to Egypt. Brass with silver inlay. H. 21.1 cm; Max. Diam. (irregular) 33.4 cm. Rogers Fund, 1971, 1971.40. © 2000–2024 The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Among the artifacts preserved in the monasteries and churches of Lalibela, Ethiopia, is a group of medieval Islamic inlaid metalwork from Egypt in the Mamluk period (1250–1517). The works shed light on the connections between Christian and Muslim societies in Africa. They also expand our knowledge of the various uses of Islamic inlaid metalwork, furnishing elite households and church treasuries, and the wide geographic boundaries in which it circulated, from West and sub-Saharan Africa to Europe and probably even China. The example here is representative of the metalwork found in Ethiopian churches.

Wall Painting with Saints Täklä Haymanot and Ewosṭatewos, second half 17th century, Ethiopian (Gondar, Ethiopia). Paint on canvas remounted on cotton, fixed to frame during conservation; 140 × 2.5 × 115 cm, 7.4 kg. Musée du Quai Branly–Jacques Chirac, Paris (71.1931.74.3588). © musée du quai Branly - Jacques Chirac, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais / Art Resource, NY

Legacies 
This section addresses Byzantium’s continued legacy in Africa and explores the ways in which artists of African descent continue to find inspiration in Roman and Byzantine traditions. The re-translations and memories of Byzantine art continue to resonate from the medieval period to today. Legacies features contemporary artworks that reflect on and connect to earlier traditions. Contemporary artists, including Tsedaye Makonnen and Theo Eshetu, engage with the past and challenge how historical and environmental changes complicate the interpretation of medieval arts and architecture in the region. Above all, the exhibition intends to challenge the conventional understanding of the separateness of Byzantium and Africa and to launch the next generation of scholarship on the intertwined worlds of Byzantine and African art. 

Africa & Byzantium is organized by Andrea Achi, Mary and Michael Jaharis Associate Curator of Byzantine Art, Department of Medieval Art and The Cloisters at The Met. Helen C. Evans, Curator Emerita, serves as consulting curator. Michelle al-Ferzly, Research Associate, has provided research assistance. Kristen Windmuller-Luna, Curator of African Art at the Cleveland Museum of Art, serves as contributing curator for the exhibition.

Following the exhibition's debut at The Met, it will travel to The Cleveland Museum of Art.

The exhibition is accompanied by a catalogue distributed by Yale University Press. The publication reconsiders the continent’s contributions to the development of the premodern world and offers a more complete history of Africa as a vibrant, multiethnic society of diverse languages and faiths that played a key role in the artistic, economic, and cultural life of Byzantium and beyond. The path-breaking book features contributions from an international team of forty scholars from Tunisia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Lebanon, France, Poland, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

November 19, 2023–March 3, 2024 - The Met Fifth Avenue, Floor 1, Gallery 199