U. Nahon Museum of Italian Jewish Art

The Twelve Tribes of Israel are not a very common subject for depiction in the Jewish Italian culture. They preferred symmetrical floral decorations. In fact, we only have one object in the museum with representation of the Tribes- a small snuff box that may have been used for havdalah. It is decorated with painted gold leaf and resembles glass bases found in Jewish Roman catacombs, that were used in a celebratory meal in honor of the dead and then left on the walls of the burial chambers.