Game Piece with Zodiac Sign of Cancer or Scorpio

Art Historical Context

This delicate game piece, crafted from walrus ivory in mid-12th-century North France, captures the zodiac sign of Cancer (the crab) or possibly Scorpio (the scorpion), as suggested by its crustacean form. Measuring a mere 2 7/16 x 1/2 inches, it exemplifies the exquisite miniaturization of medieval ivories, now housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art Medieval Art Department, thanks to the Pfeiffer Fund. the High Middle Ages, such pieces were prized components of luxury games like chess or backgammon (known as "tables"), blending recreation with symbolic depth. Zodiac motifs reflected the er...