Originally posted by Donna Ellis:
Hello friends,
I am looking at icons, and some are listed as "Byzantine," some are listed as "Hagiography," some are metal, and some are wood. I am so confused. Could somebody please explain the differences? (Sorry for all these dumb questions! 
) Donna,
A hagiography is the written (or otherwise depicted) account of the life of the saint, in this case I would bet that when an icon is described that way it has the life of the saint portrayed around the edges of the icon with the principal image in the center. That is rather common, as is merely depicting the saint without the life. St. Nicholas (among many others) is often depicted this way.
"Byzantine" is a style, architecturally, musically and otherwise. To put is very simply it is an older Greek style as opposed to let's say something more Baroque.
I hope this helps.
Tony
