Situla for Holy Water in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, August 2007

Situla (Bucket) for Holy Water
Ivory with copper-alloy gilt mounts and inlays
Carolingian, from the Church of Saints Peter and Paul, Cranenburg, northern Germany.
Carved 860-880 or later, possibly in Reims, northern France

Accession # 17.190.45

Buckets such as these were used in the sprinkling of holy water upon the faithful during processions. Examples in ivory are exceptionally rare; this is probably the earliest of only four that are known. Here, the entire surface is decorated with scenes from the life of Christ. On the lower register: the Annunciation to the Virgin, the Visitation of Elizabeth to the Virgin, the Nativity, the Dream of Joseph, the Baptism of Christ. On the upper register: the Betrayal of Christ, the Flagellation, the Last Supper, the Ascension, the Three Women at Christ's Tomb, and the Crucifixion.

Text from the Metropolitan Museum of Art label.