Pendilia

Pendilia (singular pendilium; from Latin pendulus, hanging) or pendoulia (the Greek equivalent), are pendants or dangling ornaments hanging from a piece of metalwork such as a crown, votive crown, crux gemmata, or kamelaukion, and are a feature of Early Medieval goldsmith work.

On crosses the pendilia may include the letters alpha and omega, and on votive offerings, which were often designed to be hung over altars and where pendilia are at their largest and most spectacular, they may spell out whole words (see illustration).

The pendilia which hung from the Emperors' crowns began with Marcian.

Although the years saw the styles of crown change, the pendilia remained, at least through Manuel II Palaiologos.

It has been suggested that they could have evolved from helmet fastenings, features of earlier Hellenistic diadems, or veils.