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Writing Box

late 16th–early 17th century
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 463
The surfaces of this writing box are veneered with ebony and inlaid with ivory and sadeli, a type of micromosaic in use since antiquity. It is associated with the eastern Mediterranean region, from where it spread to Iran and India. This technique consists of binding together sections of diverse materials (tin, wood, ivory, bone, etc.), which are sliced transversally and formed into thin sheets of repeating patterns that are adhered to a wooden support.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Writing Box
  • Date: late 16th–early 17th century
  • Geography: Made in India or Pakistan, Gujarat or Sind
  • Medium: Wood; veneered with ebony, inlaid with ivory and bone (partially stained), brass (sadeli technique)
  • Dimensions: H. 13 1/2 in. (34.3 cm)
    W. 20 7/8 in. (53 cm)
    D. 5 1/8 in. (13 cm)
  • Classification: Wood
  • Credit Line: Purchase, Pat and John Rosenwald Gift, 2004
  • Object Number: 2004.439
  • Curatorial Department: Islamic Art

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