Game Piece with Samson Slaying the Philistines with the Jawbone of an Ass
Summary
The treatise written for craftsmen by the early-twelfth-century monk Theophilus recommends using the red root of the madder plant to stain ivory. Staining allowed one side to be easily distinguished from the other, which was often left unpainted.
Tags
Date
1140 - 1149
Source
Metropolitan Museum of Art
Copyright info
Public Domain Dedication (CC0)