Lentorama 2013: There's a Name for That

Day 31: cumdach

A cumdach is a reliquary case for a book, usually one used by an Irish saint in the Middle Ages. They were usually created well after the book (the few remaining examples date around 1000, while the books tend to have dates up to 800). The front and back usually bear a cross design with complementary ornamentation. They were typically made of precious metals and studded with gems and other semi-precious stones. Not surprisingly, they were favorite targets of thieves, which explains why there are so few remaining.