47 out the Byzantine world over the cen- turies 3 , is considered as an act of piety. Precious metal revetments, an ex-voto offering of the faithfuls usually acknowl- edge their gratitude to the heavenly pro- tectors for intervention and performed assistance 4 . But far less attention has been paid to the influence of the reli- quaries made from precious materials on icons’ metal adornments. In this article, I will focus on the earliest preserved revetted Georgian cult icons demonstrating how patterns used for prorogation of relics influenced the shaping of the sacral fabric of such im- ages 5 . Preserved repoussé revetments of Geor- gian medieval icons, demonstrating high mastery of execution and elaborate iconographic programs, enhance the spiritual and the aesthetic significance of images. Georgian icons have various types of metal decoration, but the most intriguing form is the covering of the entire surface with a metal sheet while leaving the faces of the figures exposed 6 . Such attitude can be traced back to the ninth century. The “hiding” of the painted images causing the transforma- tion of the original pictorial concept of devotional images needs a further expla- nation. Precious metal repoussé revetments of medieval Georgian icons throw addi- tional light on the practice of embellish- ment of devotional images with metal coverings elucidating the significance of this tradition. If we look at medieval Georgian entirely revetted icons, we will see that most of them had a particular spiritual and sacral meaning in religious life of the monastic or local community, A significant shift in Christian piety, when images gradually acquired func- tions and powers of holy relics, is fairly well documented 1 . The belief in super- natural powers ascribed both to relics and icons was one of the main driving forces for this shift. Moreover, from the beginning relics in the Byzantine world had a strong visual element and there- fore, icons gained equal importance 2 . Belief in icons’ mystical power stimulat- ed the development of devotional prac- tices designed per sample of the cult of relics. Among the similarities encoun- tered between the forms of veneration of icons and relics must be stressed their enhancement with precious metals and other costly materials (i.e. enamels, tex- tiles, precious stones, pearls, etc.). The cladding of Christian images in metal, a widespread religious practice through- ICONS AS RELICS. RE-INTERPRETING REPOUSSÉ REVETMENTS OF DEVOTIONAL IMAGES IN MEDIEVAL GEORGIA NINA CHICHINADZE Abstract: The present article focuses on medieval Georgian cult icons covered with precious metal repoussé revetment. The practice of sheathing of painted images in precious metal has a complex character and one of the explanations of this attitude, which goes back to the early Christian times, is a linkage between icons and relics. This attitude illustrates that icon veneration practice inherited forms encountered in the cult of relics, particularly covering of the substance endowed with supernatural powers with precious materials. Multifaceted interrelation between relics and icons is also revealed in medieval Georgian icons with double-side metal revetments, echoing the precious reliquaries for housing of Christian relics. Keywords: icon, relic, repoussé, revetment, Georgia «Iconographica» X-XI (2011-2012)