Turned ivory boxes and pyxes of the present type were mostly produced in Sicily by islamic artisans, during the Norman rule. The ivory was sometimes painted with decoration, and at other times, as in the present case, was enriched with stylish metalwork. A very similar pyx is now in the Museo d'Arti Applicate del Castello Sforzesco, Milan. It shares with the present example the double-splayed mounts and twisting lock.