Inventing Late Antique Reliquaries. Reception, Material History, and Dynamics of Interaction (4th–6th centuries ce). (Studia Artium Mediaevalium Brunensia, 12): By Adrien Palladino. 17 × 24 cm. 309 pp, 17 colour pls and 88 b&w pls and figs. Rome & Brno: Viella & Masaryk University Press, 2022. isbn 978-88-3313-867-1. Price: €48.00 pb

"Inventing Late Antique Reliquaries" by Adrien Palladino is a well-presented and well-written book that offers a valuable analysis of late antique reliquaries. The book explores the historiography and methodologies in art-historical analysis, focusing on the social reception, agency, and devotional attitudes towards these objects. Palladino emphasizes the significance of reliquaries in preserving and materializing collective or individual memory. The book includes case studies of various reliquaries, such as the Brescia Casket and a wooden casket from Palestine, providing insights into their origins, symbolism, and cultural contexts. Overall, this study enhances our understanding of the importance and cultural significance of relics in early Christianity and the early medieval period. [Extracted from the article]