The Plutei of Theodota are two mid 8th-century Lombard marble

bas-relief Relief is a sculptural method in which the sculpted pieces are bonded to a solid background of the same material. The term ''relief'' is from the Latin verb ''relevo'', to raise. To create a sculpture in relief is to give the impression that the ...

s or plutei from the oratory of San Michele alla Pusterla in Italy. Lida Capo, 'Commento' in Paolo Diacono, ''Storia dei Longobardi'', pp. 556-557. They are now held in the Civic Museums of Pavia. Naturalistic in style, they were produced during the Liutprandean Renaissance. One shows the

Tree of Life The tree of life is a fundamental archetype in many of the world's mythological, religious, and philosophical traditions. It is closely related to the concept of the sacred tree.Giovino, Mariana (2007). ''The Assyrian Sacred Tree: A History ...

between two

griffin The griffin, griffon, or gryphon (Ancient Greek: , ''gryps''; Classical Latin: ''grȳps'' or ''grȳpus''; Late Latin, Late and Medieval Latin: ''gryphes'', ''grypho'' etc.; Old French: ''griffon'') is a legendary creature with the body, tail ...

s and the other shows a cross and font between two

peacock Peafowl is a common name for three bird species in the genera ''Pavo (genus), Pavo'' and ''Afropavo'' within the tribe Pavonini of the family Phasianidae, the pheasants and their allies. Male peafowl are referred to as peacocks, and female pea ...

s. They are named after

Theodota Theodota (also spelled Teodote or Theodote) was a Byzantine noblewoman, most notable for her association with the Lombard king Cunipert (688-700). The Plutei of Theodota are named after her. A biography of her appears in Book 5 of Paul the Deacon ...

, a Byzantine noblewoman who became the lover of king

Cunipert Cunincpert (also Cunibert or Cunipert) was king of the Lombards from 688 to 700. He succeeded his father Perctarit, though he was associated with the throne from 680. Life Soon after his assumption of the sole kingship, Cunincpert was ousted by ...

(688–700), who later placed her in the Santa Maria Teodote monastery, also known as Santa Maria della Pusterla Paolo Diacono, ''

Historia Langobardorum The ''History of the Lombards'' or the ''History of the Langobards'' ( la, Historia Langobardorum) is the chief work by Paul the Deacon, written in the late 8th century. This incomplete history in six books was written after 787 and at any rate ...

'', V, 37 in {{cite book, editor= Georg Waitz, title=

Monumenta Germaniae Historica The ''Monumenta Germaniae Historica'' (''MGH'') is a comprehensive series of carefully edited and published primary sources, both chronicle and archival, for the study of Northwestern and Central European history from the end of the Roman Empire ...

, year= 1878, page= ''Scriptores rerum Langobardicarum et Italicarum saec. VI–IX'', 12–219 (now the Diocesan Seminary for Pavia), near which was later built the oratorio di San Michele.

References

category:Marble sculptures category:Lombard sculptures category:8th century in art Architectural sculpture