Circular Box (Pyxis) with the Women at Jesus' Tomb
Unknown Artist
500s
Medium
Elephant ivory with metalwork and paint
Dimensions
Overall (with lid): 4 1/4 x 5 x 4 3/4 in. (10.8 x 12.7 x 12.1 cm) Overall (Without lid): 4 1/4 x 5 x 4 3/8 in. (10.8 x 12.7 x 11.1 cm) Top ((Lid)): 1 x 5 x 4 3/4 in. (2.5 x 12.7 x 12.1 cm)
Classification
Ivories-Elephant
Culture
Byzantine
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917
Accession Number
17.190.57a, b
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite Byzantine pyxis, or circular box, from the 6th century, captures a pivotal moment from the New Testament: the Women at' Tomb. Crafted an unknown artist, it depicts the holy women discovering the empty tomb on Easter morning, a scene symbolizing resurrection and hope in early Christian devotion. Such small, portable ivories were prized luxury items, often used to hold cosmetics, spices, or relics, reflecting the refined tastes of Byzantine elites during the reign of Emperor Justinian I, when the empire flourished as a cultural crossroads of East and West. Fashioned from elephant...