okay how did it take me THREE YEARS at this university to find out there is a courtyard where the now defunct Byzantine Studies department had themselves immortalised in mural form??
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This appears to be the head of Byzantine studies presenting the Empress Sofia with the building that housed their offices (and now the mural courtyard)
I don't know why the Byzantine (Studies) Empire at QUB collapsed. But if discipline was on the way out and I had an option to immortalise myself in thematically appropriate mural form, I would take that option.
Thank you @emmasouthon.bsky.social for introducing me to this. UNESCO status now.
The donor would be Professor Margaret Mullett, and the recipient Wisdom (traditionally personified in Christian iconography). I can best make out the inscription as "Wisdom stretches forth the pearl to the diadem crowning the queen/empress", but the ending of στεφούσης is not what I would expect.
The Byzantine Empire has always gotten the short end of the stick. But it was pretty amazing. Glad the Department's memory, at least, is still preserved.
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Thank you @emmasouthon.bsky.social for introducing me to this. UNESCO status now.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/3010245.stm