Diptychs

The diptychs are religious documents directly dependent on the ritual of commemorating the dead in the Orthodox religion. At the same time, they are important sources of historical information, as they are, in terms of the way in which they are achieved, and of the adornments that they contain, true works of art. There are two categories of diptychs: of the founders of the church and of the family. They are lists of dead people, sometimes containing their dates of birth and death and their place of origin, their social status and the merits they had. The numerous diptychs to be found in Romania are written on the most various materials and in the most varied forms: directly on the inner walls of some churches; on metal or wooden stands; sculpted, painted, or held together in two or three parts; on cardboard or on marble slabs; rectangular, square or of other shapes; on parchment or paper sheets. The diptychs at Putna contain valuable data about the life of the monks there, and their personalities.


Up