Italy --- Lombard art : Pluteo di Teodote - stone parapet covered with bas reliefs depicting the Tree of Life, the winged dragons. 8th century. From Teodote sarcophagus (Theodotus or Theodota), Byzantine lady, mistress of the Lombard king Cuniperto (Cunipert) the Old - Museo Civico Malaspina, Pavia, Italy --- Image by © Leemage/Corbis