Parts of a Crosier

The presented objects are the remains of an 11th-century crosier, which was found in 1961 in the 12th-century abbey grave during excavations carried out in the chancel of the monastery church in Tyniec. The crosier is topped by a battered crook made of bone, an openwork nodus and a gold ring thereunder, in which the staff was originally secured. The gold-plated copper ring bears a decorative majuscule inscription: “OMNIS POTESTAS A DEO” (Latin “All power comes from God.”) The nodus has a circular intersection and is decorated with twelve figural depictions. These images are entwined with vines. At the bottom there are six depictions of four-legged animals facing left, and at the top – six images of birds pointing to the right. All of the twelve animals face away from the rest of the body. 2nd half of the 11th century, Tyniec Museum of the Benedictine Abbey in Tyniec Inventory number: Dep. 317