Shell with traces of blue paint

A small irregular fragment of pale shell, its surface mottled with patches of vivid blue pigment interspersed with bare, pearly areas that shimmer silver. Grey-gold flecks and a worn edge show the paint's uneven survival across the surface.

Look closer: A small faded red label or marking sits at the bottom edge of the shell.

Artist

Unknown

Date

7th–10th century

Medium

Shell; lapis lazuli pigment

Source

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Size

1050 × 865 px

Credit (appreciated, not required for public-domain works): The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Rogers Fund, 1932