Book-Cover Plaque with the Crucifixion and Holy Women at the Tomb

In the upper scene, the crucified Christ is flanked by the Virgin, St. John, and the Roman soldiers Longinus and Stephaton. A coiled serpent, symbolizing conquered evil, wraps its tongue around the base of the cross. Below, the Holy Women are greeted by an angel at the empty tomb of Christ, carved to look like the Holy Sepulcher (the site of Christ's burial) in Jerusalem. This Carolingian ivory, with its animated figures and fluid drapery, dates to the reign of Charles the Bald, grandson of Charlemagne.