When a church was consecrated in medieval times it was customary to offer, in addition to the relics, sacred objects and valuable tokens which constituted the Treasure, in this case donated by Leonese nobility.

 

The Royal grandstand is situated in the Chapter House of the 12th century monastery.

 

Among the rich pieces that can be found in this area, from the artistic point of view, the Chest of the Ivories stands out; it was accomplished in 1059 at the Leonese workshop founded by the monarchs and it was used to keep the relics of San Juan and San Pelayo (St. John and St. Pelagius). It has a wooden strut and 25 magnificently carved ivory plaques with reliefs of the apostles, the Mystic Lamb surrounded by the tetramorfos (the four evangelists represented as an angel, a bull, an eagle and a lion), heavenly choirs with angels and the four rivers of Paradise. 

 

The reliquary Chest of San Isidoro is also displayed here, with written evidence since 1063. Its wooden core is lined with silver plates representing scenes of Paradise. The interior of the lid is an Andalusian embroidery.

 

The enameled Casket from Limoges is a 12th-Century relic that came to León as a votive offering from a pilgrim and modelled in French Limoges workshops. It was elaborated with the technique of enameled copper fire, being representative the blue color that is obtained by exposing cobalt oxide to high temperatures. Its core is made of oak wood and 17 enamel plaques with the images of Christ –crucified and in all His majesty-, the Virgin Mary, St. John, tetramorfos, angels and apostles are laid on it.

 

A set of Arabic jewelry of small size can also be admired together with little boxes, ivory vessels, caskets and silver hearts which may have been the result of plundering or donations of Muslim kings. Some of them came from Al-Andalus, such as the Casket of the Hares, in carved ivory and so called due to its decoration.

 

An exceptional piece of work is the ‘Scandinavian Idol’: a round little box dating from the second half of 10th century and made out of reindeer horn whose purpose is being discussed by experts; it is the only sample of Viking art in Spain.

 

Some of the other pieces being displayed are: the Ivory Pax (12th century) and Doña Sancha’s Altar (donated in 1147), and Enrique de Arfe’s silver processional Cross, well-known creator of the Great Monstrance of the Cathedral of Toledo. Simultaneously, a collection of 10th and 11th-century fabrics is exhibited, as remnants of royal clothes found in the tombs of the Pantheon. 

 

The museum of the Royal Collegiate Church also guards other items which are not displayed at the moment while awaiting a new location. Among them, the Baeza Pendon is one the most remarkable: a crimson taffeta banner with the image of San Isidoro on horseback embroidered in both sides. The royal coat of arms appears under a star and a cloud with a hand sticking out and holding a sword –allusions to Santiago apostle. According to the legend, San Isidoro took part in the siege of Baeza in the year 1147.

 

THE TREASURE