File:BLW Reliquary.jpg

Spain, mainly about 1580-1600
Silver, partly gilded, and rock crystal with textiles, gold leaf, parchment and bone

The bones and possessions associated with Christ and the saints are known as relics. In the Middle Ages and later they were believed to have miraculous powers and were greatly venerated.

The relics were kept in special containers, called reliquaries, whose costly materials and beautiful workmanship reflected the importance of their contents. The relics themselves are occasionally visible, set beneath crystal windows and wrapped in a parchment tag with the name of the saint. Cathedrals and major churches accumulated reliquaries and displayed them on or near the high altar on major holy days.

Each side of this reliquary has 36 crystal-covered recesses for relics. A number of these still contain bones, some with name tags in 17th century writing, including ones for Sts Catherine, Lucy, Paul and Isabel. Other recesses contain cloth fragments and engraved portraits of saints.