Objects of Byzantine Art in the Hermitage Collections have come in part from the archaeological work which simultaneously unearthed metalwork from the Middle East and Central Asia. The museum's collections of "Early Russian" material include, of course, objects which belong as well to the Byzantine artistic sphere. References:

Iskusstvo Vizantii v sobraniiakh SSSR. Katalog vystavki. 3 vols. Vol. 1: Rannekhristianskoe iskusstvo II-IV vekov. Iskusstvo V-VIII vekov. Iskusstvo khristianskogo Egipta IV-VII vekov; Vol. 2. Iskusstvo Epokhi ikonoborchestva. Iskusstvo IX-XII vekov; Vol. 3. Iskusstvo XIII veka. Iskusstvo Paleologovskogo vremeni. Pozdnevisantiiskii period. (Moscow: Sovetskii khudozhnik, 1977). A good descriptive catalogue with somewhat mediocre illustrations of most of the objects.

V. P. Darkevich, Khudozhestvennyi metall Vostoka VIII-XIII vv. Proizvedeniia vostochnoi torevtiki na territorii evropeiskoi chasti SSSR i Zaural'ia (Moscow: Nauka, 1976). Extensive analysis and description of the Eastern metal work of the 8th-13th centuries found in European Russia and Siberia.

Ernst Kitzinger, Byzantine Art in the Making (Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard Univ. Pr., 1977).

Casket, depicting Hercules and lion, various warriors, etc.Byzantium, 11th c.Elephant ivory on wood.11.5 x 37 x 15 cm. Ex-Castellani Coll. (Italy), A. P. Bazilevskii Coll. (Paris). Acq. 1885.Inv. no. [omega] 21.Pub.: Isk Viz., 2, no. 603, pp. 106, 108.

Bowl, with frieze depicting Heavenly flight of Alexander the Great, Samson, etc. 12th c.Silver, gilding.H. 9 cm. Dia. 13.8 cm. 1884-1885 in Coll. of A. P. Bazilevskii (Paris); acq. 1885.Inv. no. [omega] 72.Pub.: Isk Viz., 2, no. 553, pp. 87, 89.

Casket, depicting Hercules and lion, various warriors, etc.Byzantium, 11th c.Elephant ivory on wood.11.5 x 37 x 15 cm. Ex-Castellani Coll. (Italy), A. P. Bazilevskii Coll. (Paris).

Acq. 1885.Inv. no. [omega] 21.Pub.: Isk Viz., 2, no. 603, pp. 106, 108.

Casket, depicting gladiators and warriors.Byzantium, 11th c.Elephant ivory on wood.19.5 x 32.5 x 18.6 cm. Acq. 1885 from A. P. Bazilevskii Coll. (Paris).Inv. no. [omega] 18.Pub.: Isk. Viz., 2, no. 606, p. 108.

Casket, depicting Hercules, centaur and musicians (details). Byzantium, 11th c. Elephant ivory on wood. 12 x 28.5 x19.8 cm. Acq. 1885 from A. P. Bazilevskii Coll. (Paris). Inv. no. [omega] 20. Pub.: Isk. Viz., 2, no. 602, p. 107.

Pyxis depicting story of Joseph.6th c. Elephant ivory, H. 7.7 cm., Dia. 9.5 cm.Ex-coll. of A. P. Vazilevskii in Paris; acquired in 1885.Inv. no. GE [Omega] 8.Pub.: Isk. Viz., vol. I, no. 183, p. 126.

Medallion with "hunting Amazons."7th-8th c. CE, Syria or Egypt.Silk. 19.5 x 22 cm. Cut from a large cloth where design would have been repeated.Acquired for Museum in 1889 by V. G. Bok in Egypt.Inv. No. 9472.Pub.: Isk.Viz., 2, no. 432, pp. 10-11.