ABSTRACT
A twelfth-century silver-gilt bowl discovered near the town of Berezov in Russia in 1967 and now in the State Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg is intricately decorated with incised and relief images. The medieval Byzantine art of dining is a treasure trove of information about the lives, dreams and fears of its audience. The ceramic and silver vessels make up the art of dining, which was effervescent, at turns irreverent and deadly serious, visually stunning and fun. The bowls, plates and chafing dishes studied here were made between the eleventh and early thirteenth century. The study of the art of dining has been limited for a range of reasons, some practical, others methodological. Material culture played a central role in constructing and enhancing the meaning of the components of the banquet. The medieval Byzantine dining table was a locus for suspense, animation and delight. Alexander the Great is shown on a silver-gilt vessel, accompanied by scenes of leisure and pleasure.
