Triptychs are the types of
icon whereby two or three panels have been joined together with a hinge. The main idea of such a construction is to get easiest way to fold or unfold
icons-panels. During the
travelling the panels folded together for protection. Then the panels can be easy unfolded for worshiping. It is why triptychs often called traveling icons. Triptychs usually show the images as a matched set, such as Christ and the
Mother of God, or the Nativity (with the Holy Family in the center and the Archangels on the side panels).
