Roman, Imperial Period, ca. 1st to 4th century CE. A rare, beautiful cylindrical pyxis made from a drilled, hollowed-out cattle bone. Two narrow, incised lines form a border around the base. The lid is made from a pale green stone, with an elegant relief portrait of a veiled woman's face and neck carved on its top. The pyxis form is found throughout the ancient Near East and the Classical world: a rounded vessel with small fitted lid, originally made to hold cosmetics, trinkets, or jewelry. Later Christian examples were made to hold the Host. Size with lid on: 1.3" W x 2.25" H (3.3 cm x 5.7 cm); 3.25" H (8.3 cm) on included custom stand.

Provenance: private East Coast, USA collection

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#140250

Light wear commensurate with age on both lid and body, particularly low on the body on one side of the base. Light deposits on surface.