Jews, Real and Imagined, at San Isidoro de León and Beyond

While archaeological and documentary evidence confirms the presence of a thriving Jewish community in medieval León from the 10th to the 15th centuries, no direct involvement of living Jews with the luxury objects in San Isidoro de León's treasury has been found—contrasting with similar centers elsewhere. The study reveals that Jewish connections to the treasury are largely ideological, centered on the presence of Abraham’s relics in one object and a possible but unproven link to textiles. However, both living Jews and ideological associations emerge through the cathedral itself, where a portion of the Jewish community's taxes funded its altar lighting and where the sculptural program included depictions of the blind Synagogue.

Harris, J. A. (2020). Jews, Real and Imagined, at San Isidoro de León and Beyond. The Medieval Iberian Treasury in the Context of Cultural Interchange (Expanded Edition), 201–222. https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004424593_009