Dalmatics, silk fabric and embroidered work in polychrome silk and gold leaf, displayed on rotation for conservation purposes. A dalmatic is a robe worn by a deacon during mass. It is a short tunic with ample sleeves adapted from a garment the Romans used to wear. Like most liturgical garments the dalmatic is made in rich fabrics such as silk decorated in gold leaf. The materials used were often inspired by secular women’s clothes, as demonstrated by the floral decorations. Or they were created specifically for liturgical purposes and decorated with Eucharistic symbols such as chalices, sheaves of wheat and grapes, representing Christ’s body and blood offered as a form of salvation to all mankind.