Cylindrical Box (Pyxis)

Unknown

10th century · Ivory; carved · Islamic Art

Late Antique and Byzantine pyxides generally had flat lids, but the lids covering the cylindrical vessels of this Andalusian group are all domical. Thus, the missing lid of this example would probably have been domical as well. Made principally for the personal use of Umayyad nobility, these containers held precious aromatics and cosmetics.

Artist

Unknown

Date

10th century

Medium

Ivory; carved

Department

Islamic Art

Credit line

Theodore M. Davis Collection, Bequest of Theodore M. Davis, 1915