Panel from an Ivory Casket with the Killing of the King of Hazor (Joshua 11)
Unknown Artist
10th–11th century
Medium
Ivory
Dimensions
Overall: 3 7/16 x 2 13/16 x 1/4 in. (8.8 x 7.2 x 0.6 cm)
Classification
Ivories
Culture
Byzantine
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917
Accession Number
17.190.140
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite ivory panel, carved in the 10th–11th during the Byzantine Empire's Middle Byzantine period, depicts a dramatic biblical scene from Joshua 11: the killing the King of Hazor Part of a larger casket, likely used for relics or liturgical purposes, it showcases kings and warriors in dynamic combat, tagged with motifs of "Kings" and "Men." Measuring just 3 7/16 x 2 13/16 x 1/4 inches, its petite scale belies the intricate detail achieved through masterful relief carving, a hallmark of Byzantine ivory work. Ivory was a luxury medium in medieval Byzantium, prized for its creamy translu...