Bringing the Holy Land Home: The Crusades, Chertsey Abbey, and the Reconstruction of a Medieval Masterpiece

When was this made?

Ivory was re-introduced to southern Europe by the Muslims in the 10th century. Objects made from ivory were carved in Spanish and Italian workshops and exchanged throughout the 11th, 12th, and 13th centuries. Due to Italy's close proximity to Africa, it was easy to transport deluxe African ivory across the Mediterranean Sea. This pen box was created around the year 1100 for the Mansone family, the dukes of Amalfi, Italy.  

The name Mansone is a common occupational name for a person in the Middle Ages derived from the Italian word manzo, meaning steer (cattle). During the Middle Ages, Italian society was primarily based on agriculture and accordingly agricultural occupations were quite frequently shown in the development of these surnames. Manso I (Italian: Mansone) was the duke of Amalfi (966–1004) and prince of Salerno (981–983). He was the son of Duke Sergius I and the greatest independent ruler of Amalfi, which he controlled for nearly half a century. This box belonged to the son of a later member of this family, Manso III, Taurus (Latin word for bull).  These family names associated with cattle and agriculture were reflected in this pen box, depicting a variety of animals to further emphasize the family name. 

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