Plaque Decorated with Stylized Vine Scroll and a Deer

8th century

Not on view

Returned to lender

This work of art was on loan to the museum and has since been returned to its lender.

Carvings on ivory or bone were often used in the eastern Mediterranean as attachments for furniture and other objects. These plaques, which vary in style, reflect the continuation of Byzantine vine patterns into the early Islamic era. Most are carved on a vertical axis and are at times inhabited by animals. Oriented horizontally, this plaque’s vine scroll is animated by the deer turning its head over its shoulder.

Artwork Details

Overview

Exhibition History

Title: Plaque Decorated with Stylized Vine Scroll and a Deer
Date: 8th century
Geography: Made in Egypt or Syria
Medium: Carved bone
Dimensions: 1 11/16 x 4 7/16 in. (4.3 x 11.3 cm)
Classification: Ivories-Bone
Credit Line: Benaki Museum, Athens (10450)
Curatorial Department: Medieval Art and The Cloisters