DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.23631#0018
to Western, particularly Czech, German and French, models. The seals were engraved in all likelihood
by foreign masters, though they featured certain local characteristics oi dress, armour, weapons and insig-
nia of office. Since seal designs conformed to the language of symbols universally established in the West,
they cannot serve as a source of information regarding the state of contemporary Polish material culture.
Several types of seal design appeared in that period: a full-length figure of the ruler standing, the ruler on
horseback, the ruler seated on his throne; occasionally, heroic motifs were added, for example the duke
fighting a dragon, lion or griffon, symbols of evil. The ruler was shown holding a sword, spear or shield
and usually architectural details appeared: castles on state seals, churches on ecclesiastical ones.
Many i 3th century objects of artistic craftsmanship, which add splendour to church interiors, have
survived in Poland. These include mitres, symbols of episcopal authority, just as the crown was an attribute
of royal power. A mitre which legend links with St. Stanislaus, is preserved in Wawel Cathedral. In actual
fact this mitre dates from the mid-i 3th century and was probably presented by Bishop Prandota on the
occasion of the canonization of St. Stanislaus in 1253. The silk fabric of the mitre is embroidered in large
quatrefoil rosettes of gilded silver, studded with precious stones. Another attribute of bishops and abbots
was the crosier. Most frequently used were metal crosiers, particularly of enamelled bronze, which were
brought over from Limoges. There were also crosiers of simple conventional form, with the crook made
of bone, which were the work of local craftsmen. Pectoral crosses, which have been discovered in graves,
are made of silver or bronze, by means of the ancient casting technique. A number of episcopal rings
dating from that early period have also been preserved. Most notable among them is the beautiful ring
set with a large topaz dating from the latter half of the 1 3 th century, which belonged to Archbishop
Jakub Swinka. There are also many examples of late Romanesque style in weaving and embroidery made
for sacral purposes. The 1110 inventory of the Wawel Cathedral, mentioned earlier, lists a hundred
and seventy various vestments — copes, dalmatics, chasubles, stoles and maniples. A chasuble which as
tradition has it was made in the Cistercian Monastery of Henrykow from robes worn by St. Jadwiga
(Hedwig) is an example of the high standard of embroidery in contemporary Poland. Bequeathed by
Princess Agafia, wife of Conrad of Mazovia, and her son Ziemowii, il features, next to Gospel scenes,
images of the donors. The late 13th century Tyniec stole, embroidered with human figures against
a crimson background, probably made for the Abbot of Tyniec, is preserved in the church of St. Nicholas
in Cracow.
Among liturgical vessels, first mention must be made of sets of chalices and patens. Most noteworthy
of such sets is the chalice and paten dating from the third quarter of the 13 th century, presented to Plock
Cathedral by Conrad of Mazovia, as a votive offering in expiation for the killing of Jan Czapla, a Plock
scholastic. The beautiful Romanesque chalice, calix imaginatus, with a hemispherical bowl, is engraved
with scenes from the New Testament. The paten shows the ducal couple, Conrad and Agafia, and their
sons offering in homage this precious gift to Christ the Pantocrator.
Naturally enough, many elements of interior furnishing have survived in churches. Stained-glass panels,
including one with a representation of the Madonna, from the Dominican Church in Cracow, at present
in the National Museum in Cracow, in all likelihood were produced by local masters. Fragments of tile
flooring from the so-called Ladislaus Herman Cathedral at Wawel, are also kept in this museum, while
two pewter holy-water vessels are to be seen in Cracow's Church of Our Lady. Bindings of liturgical
books, made of silver and ivory and set with precious stones in the 1 ith and 1 2th centuries and of leather
with imprinted ornamental designs and metal clasps in the 13th century, were mostly brought over
from abroad.
Reunited in 1320 by Ladislaus the Short, for the next centuries Poland experienced a period of unin-
terrupted development under the rule of wise monarchs, beginning with Casimir the Great, last of the
Piast dynasty, and later successive sovereigns of the House of Jagiellon. Casimir the Great, protector of
the peasants and burghers, contributed greatly to the growth of the country's prosperity. He was a firm
supporter of colonization, and of establishing new towns and villages. Burghers enjoyed many privileges
and even small tpwns were granted the "right to hold markets and the right of storage. Newly founded
towns developed rapidly, guilds prospered and grew in strength. The king set the monetary system in
order; a royal mint was established in Cracow, where Cracow groschen were minted at the rate of
forty-eight per half a pound of pure silver. Economic progress was accompanied by a corresponding de-
velopment of culture and learning, an expression of which was the establishment of a university in Cracow
in 1364. The general standard of daily life also improved rapidly. Brick and stone replaced timber as
by foreign masters, though they featured certain local characteristics oi dress, armour, weapons and insig-
nia of office. Since seal designs conformed to the language of symbols universally established in the West,
they cannot serve as a source of information regarding the state of contemporary Polish material culture.
Several types of seal design appeared in that period: a full-length figure of the ruler standing, the ruler on
horseback, the ruler seated on his throne; occasionally, heroic motifs were added, for example the duke
fighting a dragon, lion or griffon, symbols of evil. The ruler was shown holding a sword, spear or shield
and usually architectural details appeared: castles on state seals, churches on ecclesiastical ones.
Many i 3th century objects of artistic craftsmanship, which add splendour to church interiors, have
survived in Poland. These include mitres, symbols of episcopal authority, just as the crown was an attribute
of royal power. A mitre which legend links with St. Stanislaus, is preserved in Wawel Cathedral. In actual
fact this mitre dates from the mid-i 3th century and was probably presented by Bishop Prandota on the
occasion of the canonization of St. Stanislaus in 1253. The silk fabric of the mitre is embroidered in large
quatrefoil rosettes of gilded silver, studded with precious stones. Another attribute of bishops and abbots
was the crosier. Most frequently used were metal crosiers, particularly of enamelled bronze, which were
brought over from Limoges. There were also crosiers of simple conventional form, with the crook made
of bone, which were the work of local craftsmen. Pectoral crosses, which have been discovered in graves,
are made of silver or bronze, by means of the ancient casting technique. A number of episcopal rings
dating from that early period have also been preserved. Most notable among them is the beautiful ring
set with a large topaz dating from the latter half of the 1 3 th century, which belonged to Archbishop
Jakub Swinka. There are also many examples of late Romanesque style in weaving and embroidery made
for sacral purposes. The 1110 inventory of the Wawel Cathedral, mentioned earlier, lists a hundred
and seventy various vestments — copes, dalmatics, chasubles, stoles and maniples. A chasuble which as
tradition has it was made in the Cistercian Monastery of Henrykow from robes worn by St. Jadwiga
(Hedwig) is an example of the high standard of embroidery in contemporary Poland. Bequeathed by
Princess Agafia, wife of Conrad of Mazovia, and her son Ziemowii, il features, next to Gospel scenes,
images of the donors. The late 13th century Tyniec stole, embroidered with human figures against
a crimson background, probably made for the Abbot of Tyniec, is preserved in the church of St. Nicholas
in Cracow.
Among liturgical vessels, first mention must be made of sets of chalices and patens. Most noteworthy
of such sets is the chalice and paten dating from the third quarter of the 13 th century, presented to Plock
Cathedral by Conrad of Mazovia, as a votive offering in expiation for the killing of Jan Czapla, a Plock
scholastic. The beautiful Romanesque chalice, calix imaginatus, with a hemispherical bowl, is engraved
with scenes from the New Testament. The paten shows the ducal couple, Conrad and Agafia, and their
sons offering in homage this precious gift to Christ the Pantocrator.
Naturally enough, many elements of interior furnishing have survived in churches. Stained-glass panels,
including one with a representation of the Madonna, from the Dominican Church in Cracow, at present
in the National Museum in Cracow, in all likelihood were produced by local masters. Fragments of tile
flooring from the so-called Ladislaus Herman Cathedral at Wawel, are also kept in this museum, while
two pewter holy-water vessels are to be seen in Cracow's Church of Our Lady. Bindings of liturgical
books, made of silver and ivory and set with precious stones in the 1 ith and 1 2th centuries and of leather
with imprinted ornamental designs and metal clasps in the 13th century, were mostly brought over
from abroad.
Reunited in 1320 by Ladislaus the Short, for the next centuries Poland experienced a period of unin-
terrupted development under the rule of wise monarchs, beginning with Casimir the Great, last of the
Piast dynasty, and later successive sovereigns of the House of Jagiellon. Casimir the Great, protector of
the peasants and burghers, contributed greatly to the growth of the country's prosperity. He was a firm
supporter of colonization, and of establishing new towns and villages. Burghers enjoyed many privileges
and even small tpwns were granted the "right to hold markets and the right of storage. Newly founded
towns developed rapidly, guilds prospered and grew in strength. The king set the monetary system in
order; a royal mint was established in Cracow, where Cracow groschen were minted at the rate of
forty-eight per half a pound of pure silver. Economic progress was accompanied by a corresponding de-
velopment of culture and learning, an expression of which was the establishment of a university in Cracow
in 1364. The general standard of daily life also improved rapidly. Brick and stone replaced timber as