Ivory Pyx (Box)
Unknown Artist
500s
Medium
ivory
Dimensions
h. 8.5 cm · diam. 12.7 cm
Classification
Ivory
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund
Accession Number
1951.114
About this artwork
Elaborately carved from a section of an elephant’s tusk, this ivory pyx (Greek for "box") depicts a number of New Testament scenes, namely the Annunciation, Christ’s entry into Jerusalem, Christ raising Lazarus, and Christ healing the blind man. It also depicts a Christian altar with chalices, possibly indicating the box’s use in a liturgical context.