This pyxis in particular is quite elegant and was most likely used for more expensive objects like jewelry or valuable items. This pyxis in particular was probably made by a Muslim metal worker for a Christian patron. As soldiers were constantly moving through city after city, they would need to stop in at least a few of those cities' marketplaces in order to resupply themselves for their journey. It is possible that the person this was made for was a Crusader, fighting for the Christian cause. This soldier may have used it to store his items while traveling, or he could have intended to give it as an expensive gift to someone else. I think that this may have even been a commissioned piece, as the details on it are quite specific and may have been specially requested. 
 

This pyxis has three distinct scenes that contribute to the argument that this was made for a Christian. The obvious, of course, is the scene of Christ on a donkey riding into Jerusalem. This is one of the most pivotal scenes in the Bible, where Jesus enters Jerusalem and is greeted by hundreds of people welcoming him in. What’s interesting about this scene is how small the image actually is. It is closely zoomed in because of how small the image itself is! Because Christ is obviously the center of Christianity, it is unusual to see any images of Him that are not grandiose or at least the center of the piece. However, this image is probably one of the smallest features on the cylinder. This shows us the difference between what Muslim artists and Christian artists prioritzed within the overarching themes of their works. The inclusion of this scene shows us that at least the artists knew it was important enough to include it within the design of the pyxis for Christians specifically, but it’s miniscule size could represent an artistic choice because. Muslims don’t see this image as greatly important within their own tradition so it was not a priority to include a lot of attention towards it. Other themes, like mother Mary holding the infant Jesus, are seemingly more important to the artist than this scene which just includes Christ.