Ivory plaque depicting the goddess Aphrodite with a cloth covering one of her legs.

The mythical motifs represent the first stage in sculpting in ivory which extends from the third century to the fifth century A.D. when Graeco-Roman and classical style motifs were prevalent.

Ivory Uses

Ivory was used either for decorative or utilitarian purposes, such as in sculpting panels, in making round or rectangular jewellery boxes or as furniture inlays, particularly the thrones and seats of bishops.  It was also used to engrave the names of important personages or family events or to commemorate people. It was also used as book covers for psalters.

Ivory during the sixth century A.D. became popular as an inlay to wooden furnishings, particularly church doors, the central panel (iconostasis) separating the body of the church (nave) from the sanctuary (altar) and icon holders or stands.

Historical phases of Ivory carving

According to some art historians of ivory sculpture, there are two phases of this art in Egypt.  The first phase covers the third to the fifth century A.D. and is highly influenced by Graeco-Roman styles and subject matter.  The second phase stretches from the sixth century A.D., when Christian motifs and folk methods of working ivory took over.  The use of ivory started to dwindle during that period, possibly due to the unavailability of that medium in Egypt.

• Giuseppe Botti, Catalogue des monuments exposés au Musée Gréco-Romain d’Alexandrie (Alexandria: Imprimerie Générale A. Mourès, 1901): 69, no. 1487.
• Zahi Hawass, ed., Bibliotheca Alexandrina: The Archaeology Museum (Cairo: The Supreme Council of Antiquities, 2002): 122-123.
• Mona Serry, ed., Bibliotheca Alexandrina: Antiquities Museum, introduction by Ismail Serageldin (Alexandria: Bibliotheca Alexandrina. Antiquities Museum, 2015): 189, 327.