Final answer:
Icons were controversial in the Early Byzantine period, with some Byzantines against their use in religious paintings. However, many Byzantines embraced icons in their homes and churches, depicting events from the lives of Jesus and the Vir--gin Mary. Icons held religious significance and were created using various materials.
Step-by-step explanation:
Icons were quite controversial in the Early Byzantine period. Christianity sought to emphasize its difference from Roman polytheism by rejecting the worship of idols, including statues believed to represent gods. Some Byzantines were against the use of paintings of Jesus and other holy figures, viewing them as idolatrous.
However, many Byzantines embraced images and used them in their homes and churches. Events from the lives of Jesus and the Vi--rgin Mary were frequently depicted in Byzantine art, often based on biblical texts and other religious literature.
Icons could be painted, carved, or created using a variety of materials. They held religious significance to many people, who treated them as powerful objects with magical or divine properties, similar to the way polytheistic idols were revered in previous generations.