[Illustration: XL HISPANO-MORESQUE IVORY CASKET (_13th Century. Royal Academy of History, Madrid_)] Two of these boxes are in the South Kensington Museum. The one which is cylindrical in shape and has a domed cover is thus described by Maskell in his _Ivories, Ancient and Mediæval, in the South Kensington Museum_:--"This beautiful box is carved throughout, except the bottom of it, with interlacing narrow bands forming quatrefoils, in which, on the cover, are four eagles. These have spread wings and stand erect; well designed and most delicately executed. A small knob serves to lift the lid. "Round the side, each quatrefoil is filled with a star having a leaf ornament. The same decoration is repeated in the spaces between the larger quatrefoils on the cover." "The whole is carved in pierced work, except a band which forms the upper upright portion of the box, round the side of the lid. This band has an Arabic inscription: 'A favour of God to the servant of God, Al Hakem al Mostanser Billah, commander of the faithful.' He was a Caliph who reigned at Cordova, A.D. 961-976." The other box is oblong and rectangular. "The cover and sides are carved with scroll foliated ornament; the hinges and clasp are of chased silver inlaid with niello. Round the sides, immediately below the lid, is the following Arabic inscription in Cufic characters:--'In the name of God. This (box) was ordered to be made by Seidat Allah, the wife of Abd-er-Rahman, prince of the believers. God be merciful and satisfied with him.'" This inscription, adds Riaño, "must allude to Abd-er-Rahman the Third, the first Caliph of Cordova who bore the title of Emir, el Mumenin. The formula 'God be merciful,' etc., denotes that he was dead when it was written. He died A.D. 961." [Illustration: XLI IVORY CRUCIFIX (_11th Century. Madrid Museum_)]