EGYPT - CAIRO - THE COPTIC MUSEUM Rectangular altar supported by Corinthian columns with modified capitals, surmounted by panels showing shells and crosses within archivolts. The panels are engraved with rich foliate ornamentation, birds and crosses. Altar in Pine wood - 100 x 120 x75 cm Provenance : Old Cairo, Church Of Saints Sergius & Bacchus - 5th Century This is the oldest Christian wooden altar found in Egypt. Of its twelve columns, eight featuring oblique fluting remain. The archivolts are decorated with stylized myrtle foliage. A shell on two columns forms an architectural facade, frequently represented in Coptic art. The cross and shell may symbolize the rebirth of the soul after baptism, a motif reminiscent of Aphrodite's birth from a shell. This fine altar is exhibited under a wooden dome dating to the Fatimid period , which was brought from the church of Al-Mo'allaqa. Tempera and gilt on linen and wood ca. 1300 42 x 28 cm Probably from Wadi el-Natrun, Monastery of the Syrians St. Sergius (on the left) and St. Bacchus (on the right) names are written in Greek next to their heads. They wear Byzantine court dresses and gold collars around their necks. In one hand they hold swords and and in the other they carry staffs against their shoulders.

EGYPT - SINAI - ST. CATHERINE'S MONASTERY Saint Sergius with Lady donor Tempera and gold leaf on wood 28,7 x 23,2 cm

EGYPT - WADI NATROUN -DEIR SOURIÂNI Halfway between El Cairo and Alexandria, there are the copt monasteries of Wadi Natroun, founded in the 4th dcentury by Makarios. They were about 700 hundred before the islamic conquest, but now only 4 are still extant - Baramous, Amba Bichai, Abou Makar and the oldest one, deir Souriâni, founded in the 4th century and restored in the 9th century. This painting is a fresco in deir Souriâni.

A COPTIC ICON We don't know its present whereabouts and any other data.