Visiting Hades: A transformation of the ancient God in the Ninth-Century Byzantine Psalters

Abstract

The ninth-century Byzantine marginal psalters, namely the Chludov Psalter (Moscow, State Historical Museum, cod. 129) and the Pantocrator Psalter (Pantocrator 61, Pantocrator Monastery, Mount Athos) are remarkable due to the polemical character of their illustrations and an emphasis given to the destruction of evil forces. These forces include the actual enemies of the Iconophiles, namely the Iconoclasts, the Jews, as well as various diabolic creatures. Among others the personification of Hades, the ancient god of the underworld, and also the place where all souls go, seems to occupy an important place.