Casket
- Place of origin:
- Date:
11th century to 12th century (made)
- Artist/Maker:
- Materials and Techniques:
Ivory and bone plaques with bone strips on a wood core
- Museum number:
- Gallery location:
Sculpture, room 111, case 8
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This ivory casket is carved with panels depicting mounted and kneeling warriors, huntsmen, centaurs, sphinxes and Eve, parts of the borders are carved with rosettes and rinceaux. Other parts of the casket such as the bands containing an imperial bust and pairs of lovers are Italian work dating from the nineteenth century.
It is Byzantine (Constantiople), from the 11th or 12th century in a 19th century ensemble.
Physical description
Ivory and bone casket. The central panels carved with mounted and kneeling warriors, huntsmen, centaurs, sphinxes, and Eve; parts of the borders carved with rosettes and rinceaux.
Place of Origin
Istanbul, Turkey (made)
Date
11th century to 12th century (made)
Artist/maker
unknown (production)
Materials and Techniques
Ivory and bone plaques with bone strips on a wood core
Dimensions
Height: 19.3 cm, Length: 26 cm at base, Length: 21.6 cm at top of lid, Width: 19.5 cm at base, Width: 14 cm at top of lid
Object history note
Purchased from Mr T. Cottrell-Dormer, in whose family collection it has been 'for over a hundred years'
Descriptive line
Casket, ivory and bone, Byzantine (Constantinople), 11th or 12th century in a 19th century ensemble
Bibliographic References (Citation, Note/Abstract, NAL no)
Beckwith, J. 'Problemes posés par certaines sculptures sur ivoire du haut mayen âge' Les monuments historiques de la France 1-2, 1966, p.17ff
Williamson, Paul. Medieval Ivory Carvings. Early Christian to Romanesque. London, V&A Publishing, Victoria and Albert Museum, 2010, pp. 94-99, cat.no. 19
Production Note
Byzantine, 11th or 12th century in a 19th century ensemble
Materials
Wood; Ivory; Bone
Techniques
Carving
Subjects depicted
Ornament; Grapes; Sword; Busts; Trophies; Eve; Hare; Shields; Hunters; Boar; Warriors; Bear; Centaurs; Archer; Sirens
Categories
Household objects; Containers; Sculpture
Collection code
SCP
