from Part II - Artefacts and Evidence
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 04 July 2025
This chapter explores ivory production and craftsmanship in Late Antiquity, examining its material properties, artistic significance and sociopolitical functions to trace the evolution of ivory carving from the fourth to the sixth century. From a technical perspective, the chapter argues that late antique ivory carving was not a rupture from earlier traditions but rather a continuation with distinctive adaptations. In terms of provenance, it highlights the importance of elephant ivory, particularly from North and East Africa, prized for its durability and aesthetic appeal. Ivory was widely used in diplomatic gifts, religious artefacts and luxury objects, including consular diptychs, book covers, furniture inlays and pyxides. The discussion also addresses the role of ivory in elite gift-giving and political symbolism, emphasising how consular diptychs functioned as commemorative objects that reinforced civic and imperial identity. Additionally, the chapter examines economic and geopolitical disruptions, particularly the Byzantine–Sasanian wars and the rise of Islam, which altered ivory trade routes and contributed to the decline of large-scale production. Despite these challenges, this study documents how ivory carving remained a vital artistic tradition, reflecting the adaptability of late antique artisans and the evolving cultural landscape of the period.
To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure no-reply@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.
Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.
Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.
To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.
To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.