Byzantine Lidded Glass Pyxis 9th to 11th century

Description

Heading : Ancient Byzantine glass pyxis or pyx
Date : 9th to 11th Century A.D
Period : Middle Ages
Origin : Eastern Mediterranean possibly Syria or Palestine
Colour : Dark brown
Body : Marrel form engraved with a repeating foliate pattern. matching domed lid
Glass Type : Soda-lime
Size : 13.cm tall and 9.4cm in diameter
Condition : The piece has been broken and reconstructed
Restoration : None
Weight : 262 grams

This is a pyx or pyxis. Some were used in early religious congregations to hold sacrements. others for creams or perhaps jewellry.

Its a dark oak colour . the lid is intact as is he finial. The incised decoration includes acorns. an early Christian symbol. Joshua  and the oak tree .Isings method would return an earliest date of the 7th century. This predates the mid 11th century when the Byzantines were overrun by the Arab muslims at the end of the Byzantine wars. The cover is also consistent with a date at the end of the first millenium

For an early example within Corning Museum  see Bonhams