Reredos

An altar and reredos from University Church, Dublin

A reredos (also spelled raredos) is a screen or decoration behind the altar in a church, usually depicting religious iconography or images. It can be made of stone, wood, metal, ivory, or a combination of materials. The images may be painted, carved, gilded, composed of mosaics, and/or embedded with niches for statues. Sometimes a tapestry is used, or other fabric such as silk or velvet.

Looking at the term's etymology, it comes from the 14th century Old French term areredos, from arere behind +dos back, from Latin dorsum.

Although the term dates back to the 14th and 15th centuries, it was nearly obsolete until revived in the 19th century.

Reredos

See also