Byzantium at the Royal Academy

Icon showing Christ with saints Sergios and Bacchos, Constantinople, 6th or 7th century. Encaustic and gold on pine, 28.5cm x 41.8cm Photograph: The Bohdan and Varvara Khanenko Museum of Arts, Kiev

Icon of Archangel Gabriel. One of four panels from a set of the Great Deisis icons from a sanctuary screen, Sinai. Thirteenth century, tempura on wood, 105cm x 75cm Photograph: The holy monastery of saint Catherine and the supreme council of antiquities, Sinai

Incense burner in the shape of a church, 10th–/11th century. Silver partially gilded, 36cm Photograph: Andy Rain/EPA

Icon of the Archangel Michael, 12th century Photograph: Andy Rain/EPA

Icon with the Virgin and Child, Constantinople, 6th century. Encaustic and gold on larch 35.4cm x 20.6cm Photograph: Mykhaylo Andreev/The Bohdan and Varvara Khanenko Museum of Arts, Kiev

Icon of St George and scenes of his life and miracles, Sinai. Beginning of the 13th century. Egg tempura on wood 127cm x 80.6cm Photograph: The holy monastery of saint Catherine and the supreme council of antiquities, Sinai

Icon of the heavenly ladder of St John Klimakos, Constantinople or Sinai, late 12th century. Egg tempura and gold leaf on wood, primed with cloth and gesso 41.1cm x 29.1cm Photograph: The Holy Monastery of Saint Catherine and the Supreme Council of Antiquities, Sinai

A technician works on re-assembling part of a mosaic pavement with personifications of the months from the early 6th century, ahead of the Royal Academy's exhibition Photograph: Leon Neal/AFP

View of a 6th-century mosaic pavement with personifications of the months Photograph: Andy Rain/EPA