St. Avitus

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St. Avitus
Burgundy, Vienne; beginning 6th c.

The statute of St Avitus made of polychrome sandstone is of extreme importance.

The bust and the stand with the inscription SEXTVS ALCIMVS ECDITIVS AVITVS are made of one piece, and the colour that penetrated into the porous stone has been quite well preserved. It depicts Alcimus Ecditius Avitus, the bishop of Vienne from 490 to 518. His tomb was probably destroyed in the 8th c. during the Saracen incursion into Vienne.