The present votive crown is one of fourteen crowns of the Treasure of Guarrazar. It was found in 1858 by Adolphe Hérouart in  Guarrazar, near Toledo in central Spain. The custom of decorating altars with votive crowns was widespread in the Byzantine world in the seventh century. It was adapted in the Visigothic Spain most probably because of the contacts with Byzantines holding the southern parts of the Peninsula. The crowns were offerings made to churches by rulers and persons of high rank. Among the crowns from Guarrazar are gifts made by King Reccesvinth and King Suinthila. The present crown, however, was offered by abba Theodosius to saint Stephen. Theodosius might have been a monastic superior, but it is equally possible that he was a parish priest in one of the basilicas in the surroundings of Guarrazar (see discussion on the title abba in [810]).

 

A golden votive crown made of two decorated plates connected with a hinge. The letters of the inscription are inscribed in the middle section of the plates. For a detailed description of the crown and its inscription see Bibliography.