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In the Middle Age, the Treasure Chamber was the room in which
the ecclesiastic objects were stored in; altar clothes, the vestments
of the priests, books, documents, holy relics... In the elder temples,
this was divided into two rooms, one for the sacred objects and the
other for the treasure and the offerings. When a church was consecrated,
it was endowed with sacred objects and presents to augment the treasure,
besides the holy relics, that could provide prestige.
Over the Kings's crypt is the Royal Pulpit, the place from which the
kings were present in the offices; it's called Doña Sancha Chamber,
because it was the queen's room; in other times, the room belonged to
a priest of the abbey, St. Martino. The head of this chamber is decorated
in tempera wallpainting, a Calvary and an image of St. Agust’n. The
donation from Fernando I and Doña Sancha was noted down for us
to know: four altar fronts, three votive crowns, three ebony boxes,
two crosses, one in gold, one in ebony; three relics coffers, one in
ebony and two in silver goldcoated; three books, a beatus, a prayer
book and a book of chants.
From this collection of presents we can only keep:
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Notes
to the Apocalipsis of the Beatus of Liebana
(1047), National Library.
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Fernando
I and doña Sancha Prayer Book
(1055), University of Santiago de Compostela Library.
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Liber Canticorum et orarum
(1059), University of Salamanca.
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Saint
John and Saint Pelayo ebony coffer
(1059), St. Isidoro.
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Ebony
crucifix
(1063), National Archeological Museum.
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San
Isidoro coffer
(1063-1065), St. Isidoro. |
The temple has likewise received other donations that can be seen at
the museum.
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Chalice of agate, donation of Doña Urraca in century XIth century, and paten.
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Scandinavian little idol, small cylindrical box of reindeer horn dated in the second half of Xth century.
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Marble tray (XIIth century).
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Enameled ark from Limoges.
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Doña Sancha's Ara, donated in 1147.
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A set of Arab jewels: ivory small boxes, boats, chests, hearts of silver.
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Pennon
of Baeza, with the image of St. Isidoro.
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The Royal Collegiate Church custodies some other pieces, not shown, mainly religious
objects, like chalices, custodia, crosses, trays...
After the redemptions and appropriations in the XIXth century, the treasure
was rather wretched.
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Pennon
of Baeza
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Coffer
of Saint John and Saint Pelayo
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Saint
Isidoro relics coffer
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Chalice
of doña Urraca
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Enamelled
ark
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Arab
ark of hares
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Arab
tissue of animals
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Viking
idol
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Ivory
tray
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Paten
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Some
pieces :
PENNON OF BAEZA
A pennon made in red taffeta embroidered on the two sides with the
figure of riding St. Isidoro, the royal coat-of-arms and over it a hand,
out of a cloud, grasping a sword and a star; these are symbols of apostle
Santiago. The story tells St. Isidoro fought at the blockade of Baeza
in 1147. The date of the pennon is not sure: some historians date it
in XIInd century, made in the very centre of the battle, others date
it from XIIIrd or XIVth centuries.
COFFER OF ST. JOHN AND ST. PELAYO
It was made in 1059 for containing the relics of these two saints.
It is made of wood and covered with 25 ebony plates with reliefs of
the apostles, the Holy Lamb, the symbols of the Gospel writers, angels
and the symbols of the four rivers of Paradise.
ST. ISIDORO RELICS COFFER
It's the inner coffer for containing the relics of the saint. The
scenes represented: the Paradise, St. Isidoro, the Tetramorphos, some
other personages and vegetable decoration. The coffer was into another,
bigger and richer, that disappeared. The lining of the cover is an arabic
embroidery, with animal figures.
CHALICE OF DOÑA URRACA AND TRAY
The chalice is a donation of King Fernando's daughter. It's made
from two west-roman agate cups. In XIst century, they were joined and
the cup was decorated with gems, pearls and a cameo. Under the tangle
there is an inscription made of filigree: IN NOMINE DOMINI URRACA FREDINANDI.
The tray is made of silver and gems; it's a substitution, made in XIInd
century, of the original one, stolen.
ENAMELLED ARK
It's a shrine. The soul of the box is made of oak wood, and it's
decorated with 17 plates in enamel painting, showing the figures of
Christ, nailed to the crucifix and in Majesty; Maria, John, Tetramorphos,
angels and apostles. It's enamelled in several colours, but stands out
the blue. The ark dates from last XIInd century, former XIIIrd.
ARABIC BOXES
They are a collection of arabic little jewels; we don't know how
they arrived to St. Isidoro, they could be a war spoil, or a donation
from mohammedan kings or noblemen. Some of them come from Al-Andalus.
The chest of the hares, engraved in ebony, so called because of its decoration.
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