medieval, renaissance, mediterranean, islamic, spain, 700, 1600
Casket with birds and roundels, Sicily. Museum no. 4535-1859
Casket with birds and roundels Museum no. 4535-1859 Some 200
ivory caskets decorated in the Islamic style were made in Sicily
in the 12th and early 13th centuries. They were probably made
for the court as marriage gifts or for storing precious objects.
This casket shows the usual style of painting found on the
Sicilian ivories. The most common motifs were floral scrolls
within roundels, and various types of birds - those with the
crest at the lower corners of the casket are probably peacocks.
The same birds are also woven into contemporary Sicilian
textiles. On this casket, the joins between the small panels of
ivory are disguised by rudimentary plant motifs. Casket with
Christian figures, Sicily. Museum no. 603-1902 Casket with
Christian figures Museum no. 603-1902 The form and most of the
decoration of this large casket are entirely characteristic of
the ivory caskets made in Sicily,