:Tabernacle, Museum no. 7650-1861 :Tabernacle, probably from the church of St Pantaleon :Gilded bronze and copper on a wooden core with champlevé enamel and walrus ivory :Cologne, Lower Rhine, Germany :About 1180 :Museum no. 7650-1861 :This tour de force of Romanesque goldsmiths' work and carving combines widely varied foliage patterns with ivory figures that are classically inspired. Its function has been much debated. The iconography or subject matter centres on Christ's redemption of mankind, fulfilling Old Testament prophecy. This indicates that the tabernacle probably housed the consecrated bread for the Mass.