title: Early Byzantine silver censers (fifth to seventh century): general reflections and three case studies
abstract: Various Byzantine sources dating from before the Iconoclasm mention the use of censers in Christian liturgy; in some cases, they refer to examples in precious metal (gold and silver) given by wealthy worshippers or even by sovereigns. Focusing on silver censers, there are twelve known examples with decorated surfaces; thanks to control stamps applied on the back, we know that most of them date between the second half of the sixth century and the first half of the seventh. In the absence of firm 